Real Life Stakes
by Tremax
Summary: Tomas Tod is dead. Snow is now a vampire. Joss is missing. And Henry is still a faithful drudge. 3 years have passed since Nelly's funeral. And Vlad is now in the real world. But how long will he last? Especially when an ancient vampire and The Vampire Authority are after him. Season II Resumes in July! HF6.
1. Introduction to Part I

**.Real Life Stakes.  
By Tremax**

* * *

**Introduction: Hearts Fall Apart**

1

I felt broken.

I guess that's as good a way as any to start a story like this. Or, to restart a story.

Everything was lost. I was undone.

I mean: It hurts. To find out that your father-who you think for years and years was dead-was actually alive.

And then you find out he's been plotting to kill you?

Not exactly a textbook happy ending...

The air here is different. It's colder. Frigid. And I'm not even susceptible to the cold.

Why are we even here? That's the question. Why after everything am I being put on trial for crimes I didn't commit?

Treason. Against a king? A king that I never served nonetheless?

Bull.

It was ridiculous. And ludicrous.

"Are you okay Vladimir?"

Snow looks beautiful in this light, well, she looks beautiful in any light to be completely honest.

I take her by the neck with my right hand and I pull her in for a kiss.

My progeny. My beautiful, perfect progeny.

Her fangs pop out.

She's enticed.

I smile, and then we both turn to the sound of the door to the roof opening.

"I got it! I found a store near the gas station!"

I speed towards Henry and take the TruBlood from him and bust it open, I drain the blood in my mouth and smile, satisfied.

I hear my progeny doing the same, and Henry walks up to me.

"Will it be enough?"

I stare at Henry with a heavy heart. He's aching to let me feed on him.

He wants me to bite him.

It's obvious by the way his neck is positioned.

And I won't lie, I want to.

But I have to leave a good example for Snow. I don't want her to feed on humans, it's not humane.

It's not the life I want her to lead.

Suddenly I hear Henry inside of my head speaking to me privately, in the way that only he can.

'I want you to do it...'

I simply shake my head. His eyes plead. I've never seen him like this before.

Is it because I'm so weak? Can he tell?

I pop open another TruBlood and chug it down.

He stops looking at me and he walks over to Snow.

He grabs her unfinished TruBlood and puts it back in the carrier. He then collects my two and does the same.

"It's four in the morning. The sun will be coming up soon."

Henry says as he places the TruBlood on a trash bin next the the door.

I look off of the roof and into the New Orleans skyline.

The city is going to sleep as the sun begins to crawl up the eastern seaboard.

"We need to go to ground Vlad... Well, at least I do."

That's the one affect of drinking the synthetic blood, Snow can't survive in the sun anymore.

Yet I can still. Pravus power perks I guess.

Snow walks up to me and kisses me, and then smiles.

I look into her eyes.

"I might hang out with Henry for awhile, you okay sleeping alone today?"

She nods and smiles, and then kisses me again. I can feel her clinging to my taste and basking in my ambience.

I love it.

Snow makes her way to our small two bedroom apartment. It's light-tight; so we don't have to worry about the sun burning her up.

As soon as the door shuts Henry is on me.

He's pressing me against the wall and sniffing my neck and my cheek like a dog. And he's whispering something.

Die faster?

No. Feel better.

This is his human side I guess. Trying to protect me.

The synthetic blood doesn't work for me like it does Snow.

And that's a sad fact for all of us I guess.

Keeping my feeding a secret is hard. Henry craves it now, and I crave him.

I press my lips to his neck and he moans and presses himself against me.

"Please feed."

He whispers, and I push him back.

I can't.

Not with everything going on.

"I'm not up for it right now. I'm sorry."

He looks at me with hurt eyes as they begin to get moist.

"No. No. Vlad you have to."

I shake my head. "Please don't tell me what I have to do Henry."

The tears begin to leak from Henry.

This is the hardest part.

When he cries, I can't think straight.

And he knows that.

"Fucking bite me Vladimir."

My fangs pop out from the enticing vein pulsing in his neck.

He presses his lips against mine. This is his last resort when I won't bite him.

Trying to turn me on.

But I'm not sexually attracted to Henry, I'm only attracted to his blood.

He continues kissing me and as I slightly open my mouth he prods my cheek with his tongue.

I can't. I can't resist it anymore.

I release him from the kiss and he smiles. I grab his hair and pull his head back, which makes him grin widely.

He looks in my eyes, and I bite his neck roughly. I suck and I suck, the blood gushing into my mouth and leaving his body. He doesn't push me off, he only leans into me and moans.

I want to get used to it.

I want to feed on him.

But Snow...

Henry wraps his arm around my neck. He does it so I don't feel bad and let him go.

This shit was getting out of hand.

The constant hassling over me needing to drink, manipulating me into doing it, and then forcing me to drink until my stomach is going to burst and then go three days watching Henry-completely drained.

"Stop pitying me."

He moans next to my ear and then he presses his face into my hair and let's out another.

I grab him tighter. He does the same, except his grip is starting to weaken.

He's reaching the precipice.

Of death.

I use my strength and tear away from him and step back.

It happens instantly; he looks shocked as he presses his hand to the two tiny holes in his neck.

"When are you going to realize this is what I want Vlad?"

I don't answer.

"When are you going to start utilizing me? I am your drudge, it is your nature to feed on me. There's no reason for us to fight it."

His tone is rising-I don't know what to say.

"Stop making me look like the bad guy dude."

He starts to walk past me an I grab his wrist in an instantaneous motion.

He stops and looks at me. His eyes are cold and defiant.

I put my left wrist up to my mouth and I bite it. I release his wrist and with my right index finger I press into the blood oozing out.

I then touch the blood to his neck and the two holes heal.

He hugs me.

His warmth is something I'm not accustomed to yet.

His emotion.

For the past year I had gotten cold, even to Snow, my progeny.

But he continues to push me. Care about me. Hug me.

I don't have an attraction to him, like I said before.

But I care about him. He's still my best friend.

But lately he seemed to think this was something else.

He pulls back from the hug and looks into my eyes.

"They're purple. Right now."

He wraps his arms around my neck and presses his nose to mine.

"Does that mean you're nervous?... Or turned on? Because I can-"

I push him off. I don't know why I did it. But this conversation wasn't for me.

The hurt is there again. But not the coldness. Just pain.

It must be hard being a drudge that's unloved, and even unappreciated, I'm not afraid to admit it.

He turns and walks off of the roof through the exit, taking the TruBlood he searched three hours for.

I regret my decision immediately.

I want him. I can feel the pain I caused. I can hear the curses he's throwing towards me.

And worst of all, it's just another mistake.

And like all my mistakes, judgment was going to be a bitch; a bitch that came for him soon.

2

Snow feels so good against me in the morning when I rest.

But so does Henry.

He doesn't fight me when I get in bed with him, but he does turn his back.

I kiss his back, and the freckle on his shoulder blade. He lets out a sigh and shivers.

I can hear him of course, so his playing coy doesn't affect me.

'Love me... Love me...'

It's almost like begging, not that I blame him.

I don't treat him well.

I don't do this enough.

And after thirty minutes, back massage, and sixty kisses he falls asleep.

By then it's nine in the morning.

I crawl out of his bed and into Snow's.

Snow wakes up.

She's been jumpy since Vegas. But when she sees it's me she smiles.

She crawls up to me and hugs me, pressing her head to my chest. I smile and pull her close.

Should I feel guilty? Letting two people love me?

Do I tell Snow?

That's the question of the day. Do I tell Snow about my drinking?

I sound like a drunk. Not a teenage vampire.

She kisses me then and I present myself to her. I open my mouth and she sucks on my tongue.

Then her hand roams down my stomach and over my crotch.

Lately Snow was pushing sex. But I didn't want it yet. Not until I knew for sure she was the one I wanted to lose my virginity to.

I smile and look her in the eyes, and then I kiss her forehead.

"Let's go to bed before you get the bleeds."

That's when I turn over.

I hear her moan with disdain but I don't give in to my decision. And eventually she's asleep again.

Two nights before I go in front of The Vampire Authority for my crimes against Elysia.

If I die... Who will take care of these two?...

And what if the Authority is as cruel as everyone says? What if they take Snow as punishment?

Before I can What If anymore, I fall asleep.

Tomorrow's another day, or at least for me, another night.

This shit bites.

3

The nightlife in New Orleans is a lot of fun. Henry is radiant in it. He's a real people person, so any place with a lot of them lights him up like a firework.

He's walking around talking to people while Snow and I sit in the booth and drink our synthetic blood. Snow grimaces with every taste; I on the other hand am far from hungry.

Henry walks over to us with two more TruBloods. He's carrying on the conversation with the bartender and laughing with all of the sports fans in the bar.

This is where a large portion of our profit came from, Henry working in this little bar five times a week. And I think the bartender is sweet on him.

The bartender and owner is a forty-something year old woman, with dark brown hair and green eyes. She was a nice woman who allowed us to live in one of the apartments above her bar. Without her I don't really know where we'd be.

About four months ago we were called to New Orleans by the Authority. They were supposed to see me months ago, about the "crimes" or whatever. But here we are. Still waiting.

But tomorrow's the night.

Henry walks back to the bar and Snow looks over at me.

She smiles and I kiss her cheek.

"Vlad?"

She whispers and I connect eye contact with her.

"Yes my love?"

She doesn't waver. She just continues looking into my eyes.

"I want you to release me as your progeny."

My stomach sinks.  
What was Snow saying?

"What do you mean?"

I ask, and she looks away from me.  
"I… think we should see other people. And I can't do that without your blessing, and I know you'll never give it to me, so… I want you to release me. It'll hurt less."

I look at her, my eyes darting all over her face as I try to figure out where this is coming from.

"Why?... But why? Everything has been great!"

"But it hasn't. There's no sex."

My face drops in embarrassment and she groans.  
"I have impulses Vlad. Impulses that I'm ready to act on. And I don't think you're ready for that, but it's the truth. I need you to be strong and just-"

"As your maker, I release you."

**End of Chapter.**


	2. Ch 1: The Mainstreaming Agenda

**Part I: Authority Always Wins**

_Chapter 1: The Mainstreaming Agenda_

1

Releasing Snow was something that I never imagined to be doing. I figured we would live eternally like the vampires in fables. Reveling together in our love.

But here she was, after only three years asking to be released into the wild green yonder.

It was bullshit. I didn't deserve it.

"So, it's that easy?" Snow asks afterwards. But I don't want to look at her anymore. I just want her to get away from me. I can feel anger in my blood and even though she's the one who caused it I don't want to lash out at her.

Especially while we're sitting in public.

Henry walks back over and smiles at us. But then it vanishes right when he looks into my eyes. He looks at Snow and frowns.

"What did you do?" He asks. And the two of them begin talking back in forth.

I can't hear any of it. I just sit there and stare off into the distance. The distance.  
How did we get here?

Snow and Henry are yelling. People are staring at us. The bartender is running towards us.

But it's all in slow motion for me. I'm a million miles away.  
How did we get here? How did we get here? Why did we end up here?

2

**ONE YEAR EARLIER**

It's a cold night. Otis Otis is standing next to me and we're in the cemetery.

"The true burial ground of Tomas Tod, how does it feel Vladimir?"

I don't look at him when he speaks, I just continue to stare at the headstone. Four years ago I was missing the man in the ground and afraid of the man in my company, but now I hated the man in the ground and loved the man in my company.

My father- Otis.

Tomas was never my father. Tomas was a liar and a master manipulator that's only purpose in life was to torture the ones he loved.

That was evident by the pain in Otis' eyes when my father's true intentions were revealed.

And when Nellie died.

But all of that was in the past now. We had to be strong. It's what Nellie would have wanted…  
It's what my mother would have wanted.

Otis is now the President of the Council of Elders. And I love that. We get bodyguards and all the blood we can drink. But the people on the Council aren't exactly my favorite people.

I like Em. I really do, now anyway.

But Rosalyn and Kibwe-two of the vampires who run the council-are constantly saying I should be brought to my death to avoid the dangers of the outside world.

What they mean is they don't want someone to gain my powers and destroy the world.

But I'm careful now. Super careful.

When Snow and I feed, we feed together.

When we sleep, we sleep together.  
But not in a nasty way. We just sleep. There are a lot of things I've had to get used to recently and sex is not even close to being one of them.

But I feel like sex is coming really soon.  
Really soon.

3

A man in a blue dress shirt is standing in an alleyway in Seattle. His tie is a bright red and his pants are the same color as his shirt. He's wearing nice dress shoes that are as black as opal. His hair is cut short and his eyes look cunning, calculating.

He has a ring on his left hand, on the index finger. The ring has a purple M on the top of it, and on the left side a gold R. On the right of the ring is a long golden double fang shape.

He leans on the wall and looks at his gold wristwatch.

"Shit." He mumbles under his breath.  
Just then, another figure enters the alleyway.

"Where the fuck have you been?"  
He asks as the figure hurries over.

The figure is a woman in a business suit. The suit is black, and it goes well with her black hat which covers her blonde hair and pale face.

"I apologize Roman. The council of elders did not want to speak about the mainstreaming agenda. I barely made it out alive."

Roman looks at her in disbelief. "None of them? Not even Otis?"

Nan Flanagan shakes her head. "He wasn't present. He was attending a human funeral." She rolls her eyes in the dark, Roman turns away from her as she continues.

"But a few of the council members were... Interested."

Roman turns back around to face Nan as she continues.

"Rosalyn Harris and Kibwe-" She pauses to think, and then just shakes her head. "Well, I don't know Kibwe's last name."

Roman nods. "Interesting. If we could somehow get them to join us, we may be able to start a movement. Go to Alexander Drew and inform him about what you've informed me of. Then contact those two elders and tell them I'd like to meet with them."

"But Roman. It is becoming increasingly more likely that the mainstreaming agenda will fail. Why work on this now if the synthetic blood has yet to be completely-"

Roman grabs Nan by the throat and slams her to the ground.

"Do NOT QUESTION ME."  
Nan chokes as he lowers his decibel and whispers.

"What I just gave you was an order. Contact Drew and the others as I ORDERED. If I wanted to hear your opinion, I would have RIPPED IT OUT OF you!" He bellows towards the end, and then adjusts his volume once more before continuing. "And Nan, one more thing."

She looks in Roman's eyes and grunts, "Yes Roman?"

Roman stands up and fixes his tie. "From this point on you shall only address me as Guardian."

4

I was in bed that day, for the entire day. Snow was with me, she had finally moved in. The sun was beginning to set. Snow and I would get up soon since we made a decision two days ago to begin only living in the night, like true vampires.

My arms are wrapped around her waist, and I can feel her stomach on my wrist.

My nose is resting on her forehead. The smell is just as alluring as she is.

I don't know whether or not she's asleep. But I do know she's completely silent.

Sometimes I miss being able to read her mind. I miss knowing what she was thinking, and always knowing what to say to make her happy.

Now it's just shots in the dark. Hoping to make her feel good.

She snuggles closer to me and I decide to turn her over and kiss her cheek. Then her lips. Then her neck-

Being there on her neck makes me hungry. I wish I could still feed on her for sustenance. Now I want Henry.

I release her and lay on my back. She sighs and turns back over. I guess she's used to me doing that.

I just miss her blood so much. I miss the taste of her.

Lately I've been having all these emotions. And it's confusing. I don't feel like myself anymore.

As I close my eyes, I couldn't help thinking about what Otis was doing right then.

5

Otis Otis is walking into the Chamber of Counsel as Vladimir closes his eyes.

Em smiles up at him. She's doing better now, but she is in no condition to run the counsel anymore. Not after everything that happened.

Rosalyn and Kibwe are sitting down on the opposite side of the table talking amongst themselves. They don't even spare Otis a glance.

Chancellor Salome smiles at Otis as well. She then walks up to him and hugs him.

Since Nellie had only just passed Otis was cautious with this new woman, even going so far as to avoid conversation with her when able.

They smile at one another and Salome hugs him. He hugs back and she eventually let's go.

"You missed quite the show yesterday Guardian."

Otis bows his top hat at Bella and Edward who have just arrived to the Council's chamber before turning his attention to Salome.

"Fill me in?"

Salome nods and starts telling Otis of the sight the council experienced without him yesterday.

And by Lillith, was it a sight.

6

Nan Flanagan walks into the Chamber of Counsel like she belongs there. She walks alongside her vampire companion Denise Flame and her human consort Reginald Tally with pride in herself.

She's wearing a light brown button-up that opens to a white blouse.

She's wearing heels and her hair in the Wendy's swoop. Her blonde hair makes her skin look pale, but not as pale as it would have been if she'd been wearing black.

Nan walks to the presentation side of the table, and Em stands.

"Please state your business in front of the council."

Em sits and Nan clears her throat.

"Hello your honors, and thank you for allowing me to take your time today. My name is Nan Flanagan, and I represent the Mainstreaming agenda."

Edward groans from beside his wife. "Not this SHIT again."

Em holds a hand up to stop his outburst and then motions for Nan to continue.

"I represent my leader who has been unable to come in today due to other engagements. But he believes very strongly that it is time for vampires to live amongst humans.

Bella scoffs. Em speaks in her matured voice. "Publicly? As equals?"

"That is an abomination! You have said enough Ms. Flanagan!"  
Edward shouts and stands. Em stands as well.

"If I have to tell you one more time to silence yourself Edward Cullen, I will rip out your tongue and silver the stump so it can't grow back!"

Edward looks like he's going to say something, but instead he sits.

Em walks towards Nan.

"How would humans react to us drinking from them, if we publicly announce our presence in the world? Don't you think they'd turn against us?"

Nan tries to speak, but Em gets close to her and raises a hand and continues. "Do you think the members of the council have not thought about this?"

Nan nods and steps to the side of Em.

"My leader has scientists tolling diligently away at developing a synthetic blood that can cover all of our nutritional needs. Making the need for feeding on humans obsolete."

Rosalyn nods, as if sincerely thinking about it and Em smiles.

"Our Bible, the Original Testament; says that the humans are to be farmed like cattle. Who are we to disagree with that?"

Nan nods at Em's statement in acknowledgement and then begins her retaliation.

"That is what we call a Sanguinista belief. The belief in the literal interpretation of the Vampire Bible. But we Mainstreamers believe that this belief is unfair to humans. Humans must be appreciated for they are our ancestors."

Em laughs. "Do you think any member of this council gives a damn what humans MUST be? As acting Guardian I advise you to choose your words very carefully Nan, because you're starting to sound like you are disgusted in our beliefs."

"No mam, we just-"

Em grabs Nan by the throat and slams her into the wall.

"DO NOT DISAGREE WITH ME. I AM 5,000 YEARS OLD. And I will kill you right here without breaking a nail!"

Nan coughs and Em drops her to the ground. When Nan looks up Em is holding Nan's human by the hair, and he is on his knees.

"Humans are food. And that is all they WILL EVER BE. It is crucial we stay in the dark about our presence. Do you understand what will happen if humans learn of vampires existing?"

Nan pleads. "Please Guardian, do not hurt him."

Em bellows. "ANSWER MY QUESTION NAN FLANAGAN."

Nan straightens herself and then speaks softly. "If humans know of us, they will become used to us, just as with everything else. They are a permeable species."

"Wrong answer Nan." Em pulls Reginald to his feet and sucks him dry. She then throws him down on the ground. Nan's vampire companion Denise runs to him.

"Think of us as the Indians. And the humans as... Christopher Columbus."

Nan doesn't move.

"If and when humans learn of our existence. They will capture and kill us one by one. Regardless of how old and powerful we may be. Do you understand that?"

Nan doesn't move, or answer.

Em pulls her hand close to her face and licks blood off of it, waiting patiently for Nan's reply.

Nan says softly. "Vampires and humans can live amongst each other, I know they can."

Em's eyes get red and the council remains silent.

Em bares her fangs at Nan. She then walks over to the table where the elders are seated and opens a silver box near the edge containing a beautiful stake. "I can show you what will happen to our species if we allow this Nan, do you want that?"

Nan backs up to the wall.

"Please. Guardian. Do not harm me. I am only a messenger."

Em smiles. "Well. Return this to the sender."

Em grabs Nan's vampire companion by the hair and stakes her heart. Her body disintegrates and a pool of blood replaces it and splashes on Nan's human.

"Now get the FUCK out of my face with this mainstreaming agenda bullshit or I will WEAR YOUR FANGS AS A FUCKING NECKLACE."

**End of Chapter.**


	3. Ch 2: Manipulative Monsters

**Part I: Authority Always Wins**

_Chapter 2: Manipulative Monsters_

1

"Stop killing me Henry." I groan and put the controller down. Henry smiles and prods me, "Oh come on. I'll let you win the next round!"

I roll my eyes. "That'll make me feel better."

Henry gets up and turns off the PlayStation. Then he looks back at me. He lifts his shirt up and rubs his stomach.

"I'm hungry."

He says, and I nod. "Me too." He walks over to me and leans down to get close, maybe so Snow doesn't here him in the adjacent room.

"Do you need to go out? I can distract Snow." I look him in the eyes. Sometimes I wish he would just let me feed on him again. Maybe things would be easier, and safer.

Snow on the other hand I made drink blood bags. Henry got a job as a volunteer at the clinic. So he tried to snatch as much as a volunteer could. I couldn't even imagine the trouble he goes through.

"Yeah. I'll be back by two."  
Henry looks at the clock and so do I. Its only midnight. Which will give me plenty of time to run down to the old goth club and snatch up a nice dinner.

I stand up and he stands too. He beats me to the door and shuts it. He blocks it with his body and I walk up to him.

"Is it possible for you to drink me without killing me dude?"

I look at Henry, not knowing how to respond.

"I'm not sure."

He nods. I can see the sadness in his eyes. I think he's worried about me going down to that bar and getting caught, or worse, killed.

"Maybe we should try. It's safer Vlad."

I shake my head. As much as I wanted to just drink from him, it was a dangerous game we'd be playing.

"I can't afford to lose you."  
Henry shakes his head now.  
"I'll tell you when to stop. Just trust me please. I might not fill you up but I can at least hold you over for a few days. Since you refuse the bags I bring you."

That hurt. It's not that I don't want to drink the blood he brings, it's just that the bags bring back memories of Nellie. And drinking out of them upsets me.

"Henry, I told you-"  
Henry nods and cuts me off. "I know why you don't like the bags Vlad, but I'm tired of letting you go out and risk your life."

I look down at my feet and he locks the door.

He wraps his arms around me in a hug.

"It's okay dude. I swear it's alright."

I look up at him and I nod. He shows his neck to me and I smell him. His hair. It smells like mangos, and his skin smells of oranges. I can detect his deodorant. It's the chocolate Axe that he always brags about. His skin is tan, even though he hasn't seen the sun in two days.

A tiny freckle on his neck is calling out at me, in the corner of my eye I see his mouth open and let out a small noise when my lips touch it. His arms wrap around my neck as I push his body up against the door.

Then I push back and away from him.

"I can't. It's too weird."

My fangs are exposed and saying otherwise.

Without speaking he pulls me back towards him and positions my head. He cradles my head with two hands as my lips touch his neck again. I press my fangs on his neck and right before I bite-

Snow knocks on the door.

I retract my fangs and push him aside. I open the door.

Snow looks confused. "Why was the door locked?"

I smile at her and shake my head, and then I kiss her. I take in her smell and hold her body close to mine. She lets me go and I see her eyes flash green.

"What was that for?"  
She asks, and I don't answer.

Instead I hug her tight and look at Henry after turning her playfully.

He's standing there with an angry expression. And his fist balled up.

I've never been so confused in my life.

2

Immediately after Nan was dismissed from the Chamber, she was asked by guards to wait in the lobby.

Nan, angry and impatient, wanted nothing more than to just leave and be done with the ugly ordeal.

And beknownst to her, most of the council wanted her to leave.

But that did not go for everyone.

Two of the council members walk out of the chamber after the meeting adjourns and walk to a room to the left of the reception area. After about five minutes, the guards tell Nan to go into the same doorway.

Inside is a large hallway, with doors on each side going all the way down it. Nan is shown to the second door on the left, and brought into an office. Behind the desk is a large black man with a bald head, the Chancellor known as Kibwe. Sitting on his desk in a sky blue business suit is Chancellor Rosalyn.

In her southern drawl, she is the first to speak.

"Please sit Nan." She says, as she gestures to the seat in front of her.

Nan does so willingly. But then her suspicious mouth opens.

"What more do you people want? You've already killed the only two people I care for."

Rosalyn smiles a huge white-toothed grin. Nan was jealous of her bright red hair, and her flawless skin.

"No mam, your human actually survived the attack. He's going to be brought to us momentarily, but that's not why we brought you here."

Nan's heart flutters and she fights back the urge to show her happiness.

"Then why am I being held here?"

Now Kibwe speaks. He has a deep voice, and Nan finds herself lost in his eyes.

"Rosalyn and I are both interested in the mainstreaming movement."

Nan is taken aback as Rosalyn waves in the guard holding Nan's human. Kibwe continues:

"We are not the only two. There is one more. But before we tell you whom, we have a proposition for you."

Nan leans back as her human is laid next to her.

She crosses her legs and looks at Rosalyn. Rosalyn smiles at her, and then at Kibwe.

Nan, straight-faced, nods.  
"Well, you certainly have my undivided attention. Let's hear it."

3

Salome finishes explaining the story to Otis, who looks over at the table. He is unaware that Kibwe and Rosalyn are working with Nan, but the two have been talking to each other privately since he entered the room.

"Chancellor Rosalyn. Chancellor Kibwe. Present yourselves."

The two immediately stand and approach Otis. "Yes Guardian?" Rosalyn says. Otis smiles at the two of them. Salome walks away from the trio, her red dress shimmering as she recedes.

"Salome just filled me in on what happened yesterday. What do you think of the mainstreaming agenda?"

Rosalyn smiles. "I'm not sure of what Chancellor Kibwe believes, but I believe mainstreaming is an abomination against our kind. And I think coming out of the coffin would be very dangerous for vampires."

Otis nods. "And you Chancellor Kibwe?"

"I believe the same Guardian."

Otis nods once more. His gut is telling him not to believe them. Rosalyn was the same woman who sentenced him to death not all that long ago.

"I just wanted to assure that all of the members of this council are on the same page."

Otis begins to walk away. "But Guardian." Otis turns back to face Rosalyn. "You didn't ask what the Cullen's thought."

Otis smiles and laughs slightly. "Why question those I trust?" with that being said Otis turns away and heads to the door.

Salome stops him. "Guardian. I have a question."

Otis nods and listens. "Would you like to share a meal with me tomorrow night?"

This was exactly what Otis had feared. Being trapped into something with this woman who was obviously interested in him.

"You and I both know we don't eat meals Salome."

He tries to step around her but she steps in his way.

"I would really like to be reintroduced to your nephew. I don't want him thinking there are any rough patches between us."

Otis looks down at her. "Your council sentenced him to death."

Salome shakes her head. "I can not be blamed for the crimes of Em and Rosalyn. They were adamant in his trial. Not to mention D'Ablo."

Otis nods and thinks about it. She speaks again. "How does tomorrow night sound?"

He hesitates and she smiles and pokes his chest.

"I'll come over at eight."

Salome begins to walk out of the chamber, Otis calls after her. "But you don't know where we live!"

Salome doesn't look back, she only waves and answers, "I am all knowing Otis Otis!"

And just like that, Otis had a date.

4

The music is loud at the club. Snow and Henry are with me and Henry is driving. We can hear the music from the parking lot. Henry shuts the car off after pulling into a parking space and checks his phone.

His girlfriend is here.  
October.

We all get out of the car and walk towards the goth club.

We're decked out in all black and Henry is even sporting eye liner.

A welcome change for the football star.

October spots us and runs to Henry. He picks her up and the two hug. I pull Snow close and smile, then I kiss her on the forehead. She smiles at me and looks towards the front door, but I'm still looking at Henry and October.

He sets her down and Kisses her. I know you're thinking it's weird that I'm pointing it out. But let me explain.

She closes her eyes when they kiss, but Henry leaves his cracked.

And he's staring directly at me.

"Come on pervert, there are plenty of couples to gawk at inside."

Snow pulls me away by the hand and I follow her, laughing.

I was probably just imagining it anyway.

We go in the club and some of Snow's girl friends run up to us. Henry and October are behind us, and October walks up to the girls.

Henry walks up behind me and whispers in my ear. I look back and tell him I couldn't hear him, so he repeats it.

"Did you like watching October and me?" He laughs and I punch his arm. "October and I you dolt."

He laughs again and holds his arm. "I didn't see you kissing her." he sticks his tongue out at me and then someone grabs me from behind. I turn to face Snow, who looks excited and happy.

"You mind if us girls dance for awhile?"

I nod and smile. She kisses me on the lips and I can feel Henry staring daggers at us.

She breaks the kiss and runs off, and then I hear Henry in my head.

"Now I'm the pervert."

I smile at him and we walk to get a table. We sit towards the back, away from all the action. Its completely dark.

We sit down in the circular booth and for a few minutes we just listen to the music.

But then Henry grabs my hand and pulls me close. He gets on my lap and presses his neck towards me.

I don't fight him this time. I bite him, and his blood pours into my mouth. This was so random but it's as if we planned the whole thing.

He moans and it makes me want more. So I keep drinking. And I wrap my arms around him. He grabs me by the hair and moans again, and I suck harder and place one of my hands on his lower back, and the other on his butt, to support his weight-I guess.

But after a few minutes he starts doing something strange. He starts bouncing slowly on my lap.

So I stop.

He looks me in my eyes and smiles. "Your eyes are glowing." I smile back and wipe my mouth. Then I bite my thumb and touch it to his neck, healing the holes.

I had seen Otis do it before, and now I was glad I remembered it. Those holes would have been hard to explain.

I pull him close and lick the blood off his neck. His shirt is black so I don't have to worry about that getting stained.

But I do have to lick his upper chest. And then I end up having to lift his shirt and lick his middle stomach and right nipple. I don't think anyone would have seen it, but I did it anyway. And he was okay with it, so why not?

It was strangely invigorating.

I felt powerful.

He looks me in the eyes and I thank him.

And then he does something that I would have never seen coming.

Henry presses his lips against mine, and holds them there. At first it's uncomfortable, but then I'm oddly okay with it. He bites my lower lip playfully and then continues kissing me. He never tries to use tongue, he only uses his lips.

I think it's a side effect of his being drained, he doesn't realize what he's doing.

So I stop him. But he keeps smiling. I pull him off my lap and pull him close beside me. We hug then. And I'm really glad it's dark. Because there's a bit of an issue between my legs.

Maybe it was because of the blood?

But who cares?

5

Roman is waiting for the other vampire to show up. Alexander Drew.

Alexander was turned about three hundred years ago, when he was only nine years old. And since the Pravus is the only vampire that can age, he was stuck in the form of a child.

Alexander speeds into the scene and Roman smiles.

"I'm glad you showed Drew. I almost got worried."

Alexander shakes his hand and smiles. "I would never let you down Roman.

Alexander puts his hands in his pockets. "So, what is the meaning of this meeting?"

Roman sits on the bench behind him and looks into Drew's eyes.

"Nan tells me there is a third Mainstreamer on the council. And she will be infiltrating the home of the President of the council."

Alexander nods. "Interesting, what's the catch?"

Roman stands. "The three chancellors are only willing to help us if we deliver the Pravus to them."

Alexander nods. Roman continues. "It would be very good for our group if the Pravus was kidnapped. Not to mention it would truly rattle President Otis Otis."

"Wait, the new president is named Otis Otis?"

Roman scoffs. "I know." he faces Alexander. "Do you think you can do it?"

Alexander laughs. "Of course I can, I just need a window of opportunity."

Roman turns away from him. "Tomorrow at midnight. That should give her enough time to get Otis in bed."

"You trust this woman?"

Roman looks back. "What choice do I have?"

Roman begins to walk away, but Alexander Drew calls for him.

"What if he tries to use the Lucis, Roman?"

Roman continues walking, and calls back to him: "Then kill his drudge."

6

The next morning the three of them are in bed. Vlad is in the middle, cuddled up with Snow who's closest to the door. Henry is facing away from Vlad.

He wakes up and turns towards Vlad. Vlad immediately does the same.

Vlad gets on top of Henry and smiles. "I'm hungry again."

Henry smiles weakly. "Snow will hear us."

Vlad shakes his head. "It's daylight, she's practically dead. Especially after last night."

Vlad kisses Henry roughly, and prods his mouth with his tongue. Henry doesn't fight it, and Vlad rolls onto his back so Henry's on top.

He squeezes Henry's ass and Henry moans.

"I don't think you can bite me Vlad. I don't feel too good."

Vlad flips Henry back onto his back and his fangs pop out. "Who ever said it was your choice?"

Vlad's eyes glow bright purple as he bites Henry roughly and starts sucking rapidly.

With the last of his strength, Henry screams.

**End of Chapter.**


	4. Ch 3: Stake Night

**Part I: Authority Always Wins**

_Chapter 3: Stake Night_

1

Henry wakes up in a cold sweat. Memories of the nightmare are still fresh in his head. He looks over at Vlad and his stomach sinks. Then he wipes the sweat off of his forehead before laying back down.

He thought about waking up Vlad and just telling him what happened. From start to finish. Just telling him that it upset him and that he didn't know why he would have a dream like that.

But that wasn't like Henry.  
So instead he lays back down and closes his eyes.

He starts to drift back into the world of sleep, his dreams this time around are a lot more peaceful though. He dreams of the old days.

He dreams of the day he first met October.  
He dreams of the days playing baseball with Joss.

Now he can't even stand to be around Joss, and nobody has even seen or heard from him in two months. But that was okay.

Before Henry fell all the way asleep, he felt Vlad getting up and voices coming from the kitchen. Otis was calling for Vlad and Henry.

Henry sits up and walks out to the kitchen along with Vladimir. Otis is already talking to him about something so Henry waits.

"Vladimir. A woman is coming to dinner tonight and it is of the utmost importance that she does not come in contact with Snow, or become aware that Henry is your drudge."

"Who is she Otis?"

Henry walks closer to hear the conversation better. Otis makes eye contact with him and then looks back to his nephew.

"Chancellor Salome."

Henry stomach drops. Every time he hears about the Chancellors of the Council of Elders he immediately gets upset. But he has every right to considering Vladimir's past with the group.

But now Otis was in charge and maybe he was getting upset over nothing.

"Why is she coming to dinner?" Henry asks.  
Otis looks over at Henry and looks a bit irritated with the question, but he answers it anyway.

"She is coming to apologize to Vladimir about everything that happened while D'Ablo was involved with the Council."

Vladimir shakes his head. "I don't want her apology. I want her to stay away."

Otis sighs. "She is adamant in this. I have said no on multiple occasions. Now we must just bear with her for one night."

Vladimir nods, as does Henry. Otis points his finger in Vladimir's face.

"You need to get Snow out of here. Now. The less she knows about you the better. Trust me."

Henry blinks for a moment and then inquires. "Why are you letting her come over if you don't trust her?" Otis' face turns into a grimace and he yells. "Enough questions! Just do as I say. We don't have much time before she arrives."

Vladimir nods and speeds into the room, leaving Henry with Otis.

"Henry. When I say something to Vladimir it is very important that he complies as fast as possible. I know you're naturally cautious when it comes to things with him but I am NOT the enemy here."

"Is Salmon the enemy?"

"Her name is Salome." He pauses and takes a step back. "And no. I just think it's right for us to be cautious."

Snow speeds out of the house and is gone in three seconds flat. Vladimir sent her to the goth club for the night. She was happy to go.

Henry steps close to Otis and whispers.

"If you are going to be cautious, so am I. About everything. Even you Otis. I know you're his family, but not many people in his life truly care about him."

"And you do?"

Henry takes a moment to think and then looks Otis directly in the eyes. "I would give my life to protect him. Remember that."

Before Otis can say anything more, the doorbell rings.

2

Snow arrives at the club and calls October. October picks up her phone after the first ring.  
"Hey bitch!" She yells, Snow smiles. "Hey Octopussy. Where are you?"

Snow walks towards the side of the club. Not noticing the figure watching her in the distance.

"I'm at my grandmother's house. Where are you?"

Snow sighs. "At Shadows. I was hoping you could come by."

October moves around on the other line and Snow can hear the excitement in her voice when she returns.

"I'll come right now! Let me steal gran's car and I'll be right there!"

Snow smiles. "Are you sure?" But before October answers, the line disconnects. Snow looks at her phone and laughs. "She's excited."

Outside of the club cars are all over the place. On the curbs, in the parking lot, and of course crowding the streets.

The club is a giant black building in a triangle shape. The building looks as though it's made completely out of glass, and the entrance is under a large rectangular archway surrounded by large trees.

It's dark outside of the club because the only lights are these artificial torches.

Snow doesn't notice the dark presence getting closer to her until it touches her shoulder. She gasps and turns around to face a little boy with blonde hair-he couldn't be any more than nine years old.

She kneels down and smiles. "Hey there. You're far from home now aren't you?"

He sniffles and Snow can tell that he's been crying. She hugs him and cradles his head. Petting it.

"Aw. Sweetheart! What's wrong? Where are your mommy and daddy?"

He sniffles again and stutters out a statement to the best that he can past his tears. "I ran away because they were bad to me. My daddy beat me with his belt and my mama let him. I don't want to be with them anymore."

Snow looks around the area, wondering how far he must have walked to arrive here considering there aren't many houses nearby.

"Well, you can come home with me tonight okay? But only tonight. Then tomorrow I'm going to have to take you to the police station so they can take care of it." Snow usually wasn't so friendly, but something about this boy just screamed that he needed help.

The boy nods and she grabs his hand. "What's your name sweetie? My name is Snow."

He sniffles again and wipes his eyes with his free hand. "My name is Alexander, but you can call me Alex. That's what my friends call me."

Snow smiles. "Do you have a lot of friends?"

Alexander smiles, "I guess so. Can we go away from here? I'm so cold."

She hugs him tight and picks him up, just as October pulls up in her Pontiac.

October runs up and after questioning Snow for a couple minutes they place him in the car. Somewhere not so far away, Roman Zimojic checks his watch and smiles. As the two girls unknowingly cart away the three-hundred-year-old vampire that will soon bring Vladimir Tod directly to him.

3

Salome walks into the house. She's wearing a green dress that really goes with her figure. I can't help but stare at her chest and then I blush when she smiles at me.

"Vladimir Tod. As I live and breathe." She smiles and puts her hand out. Vlad looks at her hand and shakes it, she smiles and faces Otis. "Guardian." She puts her hand out again, he grabs it and plants a kiss on it. As I should have done.

She smiles and walks on to the final person in the room. "And you must be Henry McMillan. The faithful drudge of Vladimir." She puts her hand out. Henry does not take it, he just smiles. "And you're the bitch that tried to take him away from me."

She puts her hand to her side and smiles. "My name is Salome Agrippa. I apologize for the past with Mister Tod, but those decisions were out of my hands. I was one of the Chancellors who believed he should have been cleared of the charges."

Otis nods. "She's telling the truth Henry." Henry glares at Otis and Salome smiles at him. I feel like an idiot. Just watching as the three of them gripe about me.

Salome smiles, "What will we be watching the human eat Otis?"

Otis smiles, "I've prepared steaks."

"Then let's get to it!" She giggles and claps her hands twice as Otis walks over to the kitchen.

4

Meanwhile, Rosalyn Harris and Kibwe Akinjide are going over papers in his office. A tall pale man with a beard walks into the room and clears his throat. Rosalyn looks up.

"There you are! I thought you would never get here! Did you speak with Roman?"

The man nods and sits down in the chair in front of the desk. "He is less than enthusiastic about all of the recent issues with your council."

Rosalyn scoffs. "Please. We are trying very hard here. Kibwe, Salome, and I want nothing more than for the mainstreaming agenda to go forth. But we can't do that until we make sure we will be in full power. And the only way to ensure that is if we destroy the Pravus first."

Kibwe speaks in his deep tone from behind his dark mahogany desk. "But that will be exceedingly difficult with the Lucis in the boy's possession."

The vampire on the opposite side of the desk shakes his head. "Roman has sent Alexander Drew after the boy. Tod is planned to be in his custody in the next two days."

Rosalyn laughs and puts her hand on her chest. "Plans are meant to fail Dieter Braun."

Dieter frowns. "Have faith."

Rosalyn scoffs and Kibwe looks at her in disdain. Rosalyn continues, "To hell with faith."

5

Dinner is going well. I got to suck some of the blood out of my steak and I actually enjoyed it. Otis and Salome seem to be getting along well, and after getting to know her I think I might be okay with her coming around more often.

The only person who isn't having a good time is Henry. He's staring daggers into Salome and he barely eats anything on his plate.

Salome drank a cup of blood from the bags in a wine glass and so does Otis.

We talked about a lot of things. My high school graduation. The incident with my father. And at the end of dinner Salome asks me to go for a walk. Considering the way the night went, of course I said yes.

A noise comes from my bedroom and Henry goes over to check it out. Probably just Snow coming home from a relaxing night out.

Salome and I walk outside and travel down the sidewalk. At first the silence is kind of weird, but for some reason I find safety in her presence.

"So Vladimir, tell me, are you happy that all of this has finally ended? All of the madness?"

I smile at her and nod. "I am really happy. I'm glad that I can finally spend time with the people I love without having to worry about them being subject to… you know, death."

Salome nods as well and we stop walking. I look her in the eyes and she looks back in mine. "How old are you Salome?" I ask. She smiles coyly. "You're never supposed to ask a woman her age my dear Vladimir."

I blush a bright red and she pats my shoulder. "I'm only joking. I was turned at the time of the life of the human's religious figure, Jesus. So I'm about 2,000 years old."

I change the subject completely with my next question, but I have to know. "What are your intentions with my uncle?"

Salome and I begin walking back to the house as she takes a minute before answering. "Well, Vladimir. I would really like to go steady with your uncle, if you give me your permission."

I stop walking again and think about it. "Salome. My uncle just got out of a relationship. I don't really think he'll be willing to do that right now." She looks down at the ground, but now I pat her shoulder. "But if he's willing… then I am willing to allow it as well."

I smile at her and she smiles back. Otis comes outside and I walk up to him. He smiles at me after smiling at her. And I punch him in the arm and smile. "Don't let this one get away Uncle."

He nods and I head inside. I shut the door behind me and hear a lot of commotion coming from the bedroom, and I can hear October's voice.

I walk into the room and the freak-show commences. October is sitting on Henry's lap, in an all-black get up and neon make-up. Snow is talking to someone in the corner of the room, wearing one of my shirts that is hanging below his knees due to how short he is.

"Snow. Who is that?"

Snow stands up and walks over to me, excitement in her eyes.

"Well, Vlad honey." She grabs my hands as we turn to face the boy in the corner of the room who's smiling at us.

"This is our new roommate. We're going to be taking care of him for a while. His parents mistreat him and he convinced me to let him stay with us, but we can't tell Otis!" My eyes get wide and Henry looks shocked as he says: "I didn't know we were keeping him!"

Alexander smiles widely, "Thank you Snow!" Snow looks at me for approval patiently. "What do you think honey?"

I don't hesitate with my answer. "Absolutely not."

**End of Chapter.**


	5. Ch 4: Parenthood?

**Part I: Authority Always Wins**

_Chapter 4: Parenthood?_

1

Saying I was shocked would be the understatement of the year.

I was at a loss for words. Snow had adopted some random kid in front of a nightclub.

"What were you thinking?" I ask her loudly in the hallway next to my bedroom. "We can't take care of a kid!"

Snow shakes her head. "Yes we can Vlad. And it'll only be for a few weeks."

I look at her in disbelief. "Do you hear yourself? He's a child, we're only 18! We're not responsible enough for a child Snow!"

Snow points to the room. "Look. He's staying with me whether you like it or not. We can leave right now and we would be just fine without you."

I step back. I can't let her see the hurt on my face. "I-he has nowhere to sleep Snow."

Snow thinks for a second. "He can sleep in your bed. We'll sleep in Nelly's room."

My face gets hot. Snow and I? Sleeping together... Alone?

"What about Henry?"  
She shrugs. "He can sleep with Alex. I'm sure he'll understand."

I think about it. "Shouldn't you sleep with Alex?"

She scoffs and punches my arm. "I would like very much to sleep with my boyfriend thank you."

I look away from her. "Maybe Henry should be out here discussing this with us..."

Snow puts her hands on her hips defensively. "And why is that?"

"Because we're a family and Henry is a part of our family." Snow rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "Well so is Alex."

"You barely know this kid Snow!" I yell. I feel my blood starting to boil. "Yeah, well I barely knew you when I trusted you enough to go outside with you. EVEN THOUGH YOU BIT ME."

I groan. "Oh please Snow! You and I both know that was an accident! We can't just take random runaways in off the street! This might be a trick! He might be some kind of monster."

Snow is looking past me, at the bedroom. I turn slowly and there stands the little boy in my Big Bang Theory shirt. "Am I not welcome here?..."

He says, and Snow runs up and hugs him. "He doesn't mean it Alex. He's just scared is all."

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes. "What is he scared of?"

Snow makes eye contact with him, and then she turns to me.

"Well Vlad, what Are you scared of?"

I sigh, and I slump my shoulders. This was a battle I wouldn't win.

"Fine. He can stay."

Snow makes an excitement howl and hugs Alex, picking him up off his feet and swinging him around.

2

"Please, stay."

Otis groans into Salome's ear. Salome has one hand on his crotch and the other up his shirt. Otis has one hand on her back and the other on her ass.

"Come home with me for the night Otis. I don't want your boy hearing us..."

Otis nods slowly and is led away by Salome into the darkness of the night.

3

The next morning comes too soon. I get out of bed and walk over to the bathroom. I begin to wash my face, and then I look at my reflection in the mirror and am immediately shocked.

"Henry! Don't sneak up on me like that!" I say as I quickly turn to face him.

"Whatever." He grumbles and walks over to the shower, turning it on and setting down his towel.

He pulls his shirt over his shoulders and off his body, then he throws it on the floor. He begins to lower his basketball shorts and doing so inadvertently lowers his boxers so I catch the tiniest glimpse of his happy trail's happy field.

He stops and stares at me. "What?" he asks, and then pulls his shorts back up; letting me now only see the thin strand of hair leading to his bellybutton.

"Vlad. Why are you staring at me?"  
"Huh? Oh, sorry." I shield my eyes and begin walking out of the bathroom. I shut the door behind me and I hear him lock it.

I open the door to the hallway and look down towards my room.

Henry said he'd be fine sleeping with Alex, but Snow wanted to sleep with him just this first night to make sure everything went okay.

I slouch down on the wall and listen to the shower.

Something was odd.

I get up and I walk over to the guest room where Otis usually sleeps and I prop the door open.

The bed is empty and made, the obvious sign that it wasn't slept in.

I look around the room in fear.

Otis never left the house in the daylight, nor did he go anywhere without informing Vladimir.

I walk around the room looking for a note or some type of correspondence about where he could have went. Damn him for doing this. Now I have to walk around and worry about this until I can find out what happened.

"Excuse me." I turn to face the door to the bedroom. Standing there is a boy that looks close to maybe ten, or eleven. It's Snow's adoptee, Alex.

"Yeah. What do you want?" I walk over to him and push him out of the room. Then I step out and shut the bedroom door behind me.

"I'm hungry is all." Hm. He didn't look hungry. But I guess I can't be the judge of that.

We walk over to the kitchen and the sun shines in through the window, making the room look lighter in the sunrise.

I walk over to the pantry and pull out the Honey Nut Cheerios, then I shut the pantry door and set them on the counter. I open an overhead counter and pull out a bowl, then I proceed to pour the cereal in the bowl. As I walk over to the fridge I notice something.

Alex isn't in the kitchen. Nobody is besides me. I walk over to the hallway and look around, but nobody is there.

"Mr. Vlad?" Alex calls from... The kitchen? I walk back. The shades have been closed and he's standing next to the table. The lights in the kitchen are on, if they weren't it would be completely dark because of the sun-proof shades Otis installed on the windows.

"Sorry..." I walk over to the fridge and pull out the milk. Then I walk over to the bowl and fill it up. "I didn't see you... I-" I turn to face him and he's now seated at the table.

I didn't even see him move or hear him.  
This is so weird.

I walk the bowl over to the table and I sit it down. "Enjoy..."

I walk away from the table and out of the kitchen. As I walked away I began to think maybe I needed to have a little talk with Snow.

4

"Otis Otis has been taken in to custody and the New Vampire Authority is going to be ready to go really soon."

Roman says to the man on the other side of the desk. The man is wearing a red suit with a black tie.

"And what of the Pravus?"

Roman nods. "He will also be taken in the next few days, if you come through with your side of the deal."

The man shifts in his seat. "No Pravus, no deal."

Roman frowns. "No. You said if we obtained Otis you would make me the new fucking Guardian."

The man smiles. "What Authority do I have to do that?"

Roman stands. "You are the oldest vampire I know. You are the Authority of our world!"

The man stands rapidly. "Then sit down! Don't you dare think for a second that I won't rip your egotistical little head off of your fucking shoulders!"

Roman pops his fangs out. "You do not fucking scare me!"

"Boys. Enough." Salome says from her place on the wall. She's leaning back on it and looks up at them. "We will bring you the Pravus. I will see to it that Roman brings him to you in person within the week. But there will be no reason to keep Otis after the Pravus is dealt the True Death."

Roman frowns at Salome. "There are tons of reasons!"

Salome puts her hand up to stop him. And then she dismisses herself from the room.

"I'm sorry for my earlier outburst." Roman says as the man sits back down. The man looks up from his seat and speaks.

"Do you know what would make me forgive you?"

Roman shrugs. The man continues.  
"Salome is in love with that man, the Otis fellow. And I've never really liked Salome to love anyone other than myself. So I need you to do it."

Roman scowls. "Do what exactly?"

The man stands back up and smiles. "If and when the Pravus is captured, kill Otis in front of him. Before killing him as well."

Roman nods, but the man isn't done. "And then kill the drudge and progeny that Alexander Drew informed you of."

Roman scowls again. "Henry and Snow? They're mere children."

The man laughs. "Eat their fucking hearts! And make the Pravus watch!"

5

Snow walks over to the window and looks out of it. "It's a full moon tomorrow I hear."

I roll over in the bed and sigh. "Who cares Snow?"

She crawls on top of me and kisses my neck, then my cheek, and finally my nose. She looks in my eyes.

"What's wrong?" I look back at her. "I don't think we can do this, I can't have this kid walking around here Snow. I just can't do it."

Snow looks in my eyes, expressionless. And then she sighs. "Okay." Finally, she attempts to smile.

I kiss her deeply and roll on top of her. I kiss down the side of her face and all over her neck. I suck on her neck with my lips and then I kiss her chest. I pull her shirt down and suck on the top of her pale breast, pushing them together with my hands as I do so. I suck harder on her neck and I see a hickey that heals almost instantaneously. I smile as I continue using my powers to pleasure the love of my life.

She moans in delight and I'm happy to make her happy. It's all I can do to keep from arguing with her about Alex. It's all I can do without letting her down.

She exudes sex. She wants me inside of her and I can tell by the way she moves her hips. I press my crotch towards her and begin dry humping her private area. The motion gets me hard, and I lean down and kiss her with the passion that is similar to that in my heart.

She pulls my pants and underwear down in the back and firmly grasps my ass with both hands, pushing me towards her faster and faster. The vampiric speed of our bodies makes it even more enjoyable as I kiss her roughly and bite her tongue playfully.

She flips me on my back and gets on top of me. She pulls her shirt off in a rush and I rip off her bra. I take hold of her body and I kiss and suck on her nipples, excited to finally have their taste in my mouth.

Then, a loud crash comes from the kitchen. I jump up and pull my pants back to my waist and I rush with my speed to the kitchen. I didn't exactly know what to expect, for all I knew it could have just been Alex dropping a bowl on the damn floor, or something else that children do. I had no idea how wrong I was.

Three crucial things were wrong with the scene in the kitchen.

1st: The table was turned over on the floor. There were three bags of blood lying next to it, all three completely devoid of their contents.

2nd: Blood was all over the kitchen floor. And the trail of blood was coming from Henry, who was laying on the floor eight feet away from me, holding his neck in agony; where two identifiable holes lay.

3rd: Alex was standing by the fridge, fangs at the ready, blood running down his face. I immediately break the wooden table leg and point it at him as Snow runs in.

"Who the FUCK are you!" I yell as Snow looks around in shock.

"You already know who I am. I am your dear sweet child, Alexander."

I look at Snow with worried eyes as the boy continues. "Actually, I have been sent to kidnap you by the one true vampire authority. All three of you actually, dear Pravus."

I prepare the stake to attack as he smiles. I try to conceal the nervousness in my voice when I speak. "Otis won't let you harm me."

Blood drips on the floor as he growls. "Otis is dead."

Alexander rushes at us at a speed I've never experienced before.

And then only darkness remained.

**End of Chapter.**


	6. Part I Finale: Authority Always Wins

_**Chapter Five: Authority Always Wins**_  
**Part I Conclusion**

1

"Otis..."

Where was I? The room was dark and reeked of urine and other disgusting excretions.

It was pitch black. I couldn't even see my hands in front of me, or the cold concrete underneath me. There were silver shackles around my wrists, ankles, and neck. I knew this only because they burned like nothing I've ever felt. I cried out in pain and agony, and I could feel blood marinating in my throat.

"Vlad."

"Henry!" I cry out, trying hard to see my drudge. Just then my eyes tingle and I can see the entire room with a weird purple glow. Henry is about two yards away leaning on the wall, blood all over his shirt and neck. Snow is unconscious about three yards from him. It must be daylight still. She only hLas one silver shackle on her foot.

"Vlad?"  
I look towards Henry again. "Did you hear me?"

I shake my head in the darkness and after realizing how stupid that was; I answered him with a no. "I asked where we are." I swallow the blood in the back of my own throat. I live through the pain in my neck the silver chain is causing, and at last I answer. "I have no idea."

Henry crawls over to me. His chain is considerably longer than mine. In the darkness, I am aware he can't see me. I grab his hand and pull him towards me, he lands on top of me and moans in agony. "My neck. That son of a bitch bit me."

I couldn't remember how we got here. "Who?" I ask, utterly bewildered.

"That damn kid. The vampire one."  
I look at him and it all comes flooding back. The kid. Snow. Seeing Henry's body on the floor covered in blood. How strong could a nine year old be?

Henry pulls at my shackles, trying to open them. He can't. I grab his ankle shackle and with the last of my strength I break it. His is only iron, and it cracks under my hands.

He slips out of it and then tries again to remove my shackles. "Henry, you have to get out of here."

He shakes his head and continues trying. I know he'll keep at it until it works. So I do something stupid, irrational, and unnecessary.

"Henry. I release you from my possession. Leave me."

He looks at me and I notice his eyes do a weird trick. They glow purple for a moment and then green, then finally back to his eye color. He stands up hurriedly and that's when I see it.

There are tears in his eyes. Why? I couldn't ask. Because I could feel my own tears. The bond between us would be broken now, and he would finally see that this wasn't the place he needed to be. Sure I had been selfish in the past with him, but now he had to go-he didn't deserve to die because of me.

"Look me in the eyes Henry." My eyes glow purple as he looks into them, suddenly entranced.

"You are terrified of this place, and you will do anything to get out. The last thing you will remember when you escape is that Snow and I left you. Because of a fight that I messed up in. You will live happily with October, and never so much as think of me again. You will live amongst your kind... In the daylight."

Henry nods and the glamour sinks into his brain, making it his reality.

He runs to the door and pulls it open, letting a little light into the room before he steps out. I wonder for a minute why they wouldn't lock that door, but then after realizing how heavy my silvering was, I got a pretty good picture of why.

'Otis. Can you hear me?' I call out telepathically, reaching around for his presence. Silence is the only voice that replies. That's when I get nervous. I can't contact Otis and I can't figure out where I am. The last thing I remember is terrifying and doesn't make sense.

That's when I feel it.

"Snow?" I call out aloud, and I hear her moan in pain. I can smell the fear on her blood, and I can tell by the sound of her voice that she's been hurt.

"Vlad?" She says, quietly.

Shit. If she's waking up that must mean the other vampires are too. I might have just sent Henry out to become dinner.

Snow screams for help and I can hear her flailing around. The silver must be too much for her to bear. If they put anywhere near the amount they put on me on her she might not have made it much longer.

"Snow. Honey. Be quiet." I try to console her but she cries and screams. I've never heard her like this before, begging for mercy. It wasn't like her.

The door creaks open and a dark figure steps into the room.

"Well. Look who's awake." He says. And he stands there looking at us. I focus my vision on him and make out a tan man wearing a blue suit with a bright red tie. He has fair skin and a bald head, and piercing green eyes.

"Guards. Can we get Mr. Tod and his progeny into the council room? And can we clean up the mess Vladimir's human left on the floor?" He laughs deeply. "It smells fucking awful." The man leaves the room and my heart sinks even further into the pit of my stomach.

But before I can think anymore, I'm being forced to my feet and out of the dungeon.

2

Otis is in the center of the council room on his knees. His fangs are showing and his neck is bleeding heavily. Silver chains are bound around his wrists and ankles, the Authority is seated before him, and his two companions; Bella and Edward, are on their knees to the left and right of him respectively.

Roman walks into the room and opens the box on the table, pulling out the stake that Em had used not long ago on Nan Flanagan's companion.

Nan is standing beside Bella, and hanging from her hands is Em, wrapped in chains from head to toe: a lot worse off than Otis and the others. Nothing less than the best for the oldest vampire in the world.

Roman walks over to Em and takes the tape off of her mouth. He smiles at her and begins to speak in his deep voice. "Now. For those of you that do not know, I am Roman Zimojic. I have been trying to get in contact with your council for centuries about developing a synthetic blood for our kind, so we may one day live amongst the human race." Roman walks back over to the table and opens a bag; he pulls out a red bottle that says 'TruBlood' on it.

"This! Is TruBlood! The future of our race and the future; of the mainstreaming movement. I believe that if we all can discontinue the gorging of human blood, that we may finally find peace for our kind at long-last. But it seems that the old council believes differently. If I am not mistaken, your council believes in the literal interpretation of our Vampire Bible, which says humans are food and nothing else. Am I correct on that Em?"

Em doesn't respond. Immediately turning to violence, Roman picks her up by the throat and holds her in the air.

"**ANSWER MY FUCKING QUESTION!"**

She keeps quiet. Roman drops her onto the floor and walks back over to the table. He puts on the black gloves atop the stake box and grabs the sheet of silver next to Edward. He then lays the sheet on Em, who screams in agony and terror.

"**I am a man of very little patience.** I don't work well with non-compliance. Otis. What are your beliefs on the ideal that humans are only good for food?"

Otis swallows and speaks softly, the blood draining from his neck slowly. "I believe humans can be loved and cared for. I, in fact lost the human I loved very much to the father of the Pravus."

Roman scoffs. "And yet you take care of that boy as if he is your own. Tomas Tod was a master of manipulation and an egotistical nuisance to our society."

Edward screams. "You take that back you piece of-"

Roman runs to Edward and grabs him by the hair. He pulls him up in the air and stakes him in less than one second. Edward implodes and his blood lands all over Otis and his wife.

"**I am fucking tired of the ill-mannered Sparklers**. I am **SICK** of where our culture has gone. And I am **DONE** pretending that this will fix itself. I am the new leader of this world. I am the** AUTHORITY**... And I will not be contradicted."

Rosalyn Harris, Kibwe Akonjide, Alexander Drew, Salome Agrippa, and an unknown woman take a knee and whisper 'Praise Lillith' in unison.

Roman walks behind Otis and pulls his head up so he can easily see his chest.

"**I want to stake you so fucking bad right now."**

Otis moans in agony. "Then do it."

He releases Otis and walks away, he then sets the stake down on the table.

"You fucking asshole!" An angry Bella storms at Roman. Kibwe is up immediately and grabs Bella by the throat, then he slams her on the ground.

Roman laughs and grabs the stake. He walks over to Bella and sighs. "Might as well get this over with."

Just then the door to the chamber enters and three people are led into the room.

"AH! And **here is the PRAVUS!"**

Roman says loudly. Otis turns in shock and the unknown Authority woman stands up in fear. "Guardian! You said the boy's drudge would be freed along with his progeny."

Roman smiles. "I am not a man of taking chances. They all must **die** Nora."

Henry looks at Vladimir, fear in his eyes. Vladimir was right. The vampires snagged him up right when he walked out of the room and now here he was stuck with them.

The guards lead Vladimir alone down to the center of the room. The two guards are on his right and left, one holding each arm. They drop him on his knees and Roman walks over.

"Hello Vladimir Tod. It's a pleasure to finally see you in the light. You smell awful." The Authority laugh as Roman jokes around. Otis screams out. "Please! Don't hurt Vladimir! I will give my life if you only spare him."

Roman scoffs. "I do not negotiate with apostates and/or sanguinistas." Roman walks over to Otis and stands in front of him. Otis has begun crying. "Please Guardian. I do not even know what a Sanguinista is."

Roman begins circling the room slowly as he explains. "Sanguinistas are those who believe that vampires should feed on humans, and use them only for their blood and not respect them. Humans birthed vampires, without them there would be no: Us." Roman is now at the other side of the table, near the throne. "For centuries our kind has dealt with madmen who believe that might is right, and our kind has been forced to be stuck in the dark ages." Em begins to cry as Roman continues.

"The Sanguinistas say we are going against our nature and Lilith commands us to feed as the pinnacle of the food chain. But they are wrong. For if we let our sins flourish, if we are slaves to our blood lust, if we let our hunger for power surpass our common decency; we doom ourselves to damnation. So let it be known, we will not concede the floor to the depraved and desperate tyranny of madmen and fanatics. We will not stand by while zealots hijack the righteousness of our cause. We will fight and let the night cleanse us of our sins and lead us to victory."

Em yells. "YOU ARE A MONSTER."

Roman runs to Em and pulls the sheet off of her; he picks her up and slams her onto the table by the throat. Her fangs pop out and so do his. She tries to fight him but her doses of silver have left her powerless.

"**I AM A REVOLUTIONARY."**

Roman stakes Em and she explodes in a fiery blood burst. Her ancient blood leaks on the walls and floor, and all over Roman's clothes and body.

Roman takes a baster of some type out of his pocket and sucks some of Em's blood into it. He then drips a drop into his mouth and begins to walk around the room to his fellow councilman, dripping a drop into each of their mouths as he speaks slowly.

"The first. The Last. The Eternal. We are born of Lilith who is created in God's image. We swear fealty to the Blood and the Progenitor. Lord Lilith, Father and Mother, protect us as we protect you, from this day until the hour of the true death. And in the Lord and Lilith's name we say:

Roman gets on one knee by his throne and lets his fangs pop out. "_Vampyr_."

3

Earlier that morning, on the other side of the world a boy is getting on a plane.

After setting his bag above his chair, he slides into the seat and looks out of the window. After liftoff, he looks at the watch on his wrist and sighs. This is it.

He is finally heading back home to finish what he started.

He is finally going to end Vladimir Tod.

After being saved by Vlad, he had considered forgetting the Slayer Society and no longer following the allegiance, but his fellow Slayer made a good point. Vampires can't be trusted; the entire ordeal that he ideals Vlad for saving him from might have just been a Vampire-Jedi mind trick.

Joss was finally going to kill Vladimir Tod. This time there would be no mercy.

4

Roman walks over to Vladimir Tod and looks him in the eyes. "Answer me this, boy. Who of your two companions would you like me to kill first?"

Vladimir swallows timidly. "Neither your majesty…" Roman howls with laughter and the rest of the Authority does as well. "**YOUR MAJESTY, **he says!" Roman faces the Authority's table. "Am I a King now? **HA! I like it!**" The Authority claps and Vlad rolls his eyes.

"Ten seconds Vladdy boy, or I'll kill all three of them." Roman says. He pushes Otis down on the ground and then sits on the corner of the table and checks his phone.

"You will kill them anyway, monster." Vladimir whispers. Roman looks up from his phone and his fangs are revealed once more.

"What did you mutter?" Roman is immediately in Vladimir's face. "**SAY IT TO MY FUCKING FACE.**"

Vladimir is suddenly icy, and his eyes glow purple. "I called you a monster." Roman stands and walks over to Otis. Vladimir continues. "Your tyranny will not go far. You will be ended just as D'Ablo and my very own father were ended. You are nothing but a bag of blood waiting to be popped. A monster, as Em put it before her death. She may have been bad but she wasn't cruel like you. You killed two of our kind and for what? To scare me? For power? You are nothing but a murderer and a bully."

Roman begins to laugh. He then turns and faces Vladimir. "Do you think you scare me boy? Do you think I won't kill you if you can talk like a big, bad predator? **I am in charge here. I take orders from no one. I AM THE NEW AUTHORITY IN THIS FUCKING TOWN.**"

Vladimir swallows nervously. "You. Are. Nothing."

Roman growls and then rushes at him. He grabs Vlad by the neck and picks him up in the air. "**I am going to enjoy every second of draining your fucking body.**" He snarls and presses his fangs to Vlad's neck. "But first…"

Roman drops Vlad and rushes over to Otis. He pulls him onto his knees by the hair and holds him so that Vlad can look directly at him. Vladimir makes eye contact with Otis and it becomes clear what Roman Zimojic is about to do. "Say goodbye to your Uncle."

Vlad begins to cry as he calls out. "NO! PLEASE!"

Otis is crying as well. "I love you Vladimir. I will be with you even in death, do not ever forget that I love-"

Roman stakes Otis.  
_Vladimir screams._

5

The doors to the Council lobby bust open. A figure in a black cloak rushes in and begins shooting balls of light at the guards. After killing all of them, the figure walks over to the door leading into the Authority Chamber.

6

I feel the blood boiling and my wrists break through my chains. **"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" **I scream as I rip the rest of the silver off of me and charge Roman. He smiles as I lunge at him.

We're flying all over the room; I'm punching him and he's punching me. I'm actually putting up a fight as I break his nose with a quick punch. It heals instantaneously and he throws me off of him. I land on my feet near Snow. I grab the silver chain that was wrapped around my neck with my bare hands and it doesn't burn.

I charge Roman again and I wrap the chain around his throat and push him to the ground.

My eyes glow purple as I holler. "**I WILL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"** Just then one of the Authority members grabs me and tries to pin me down, I reverse it and flip him onto the table and then I tie him down with the silver chains. Salome charges me and tries to stop me, but I grab her head and slam it onto the floor.

The little kid tries to attack me and I kick him in midair, he flies across the room and crashes into the wall. The girls Nora and Nan attack me and I smash their heads together. They both cry out and fall to the ground. The guards start charging at me and I rip their heads off of their shoulders one-by-one.

I'm just about to attack the last man when he holds something out. The Lucis.

"Halt. Pravus. Or I will shoot a hole right through you."

I snarl. "The light does not hurt me. I am half human." I charge at him and punch him in the stomach, he flies to the wall and lands against it with a thud.

I look around the room and notice someone's missing. Roman.

He appears behind me and puts me in a headlock. He has the stake in his hand and is breathing heavily. "You are a very formidable opponent, and for that I commend you. But now you must meet the **TRUE DEATH**."

Just before he stakes me, the doors to the chamber bust open and a figure runs down the steps. Roman and I look up at it, bewildered. "Do not harm him!" The female figure says as she shoots a ball of light from her hand and it fries Roman's face. He grabs at it and screams in agony.

The woman runs up to me. "Come! Get your progeny and drudge! We must leave immediately. None of the Authority members are dead, we have to get you out of here before they recooperate."

The woman runs to help Snow and Henry, as I look back at Otis one last time.  
"Goodbye Uncle. I love you too." I begin to cry again and I look over at the Authority table. Rosalyn is smiling at me, she is the only one that didn't attack.

"Nice work Pravus." She says and then winks.

I'll never forget those eyes. And all of the damage I did to those vampires that night. As we're running to door I see Roman get up one last time. Part of me wants to finish the job because I know he'll be back and stronger than he is now. But I know I have to get Snow and Henry to safety. He looks up at me and screams as I exit the Chamber.

**"YOU WILL MEET THE TRUE DEATH PRAVUS! JUST AS YOUR FATHER AND UNCLE HAVE! I SWEAR ON THE BLOOD OF LILLITH!"**

7

The lady gets us outside and into her car. She drives us to the house and then tells us to get out. I try asking who she is and why she helped us but she doesn't directly answer. She only said she was a friend. Just like in the movies.

So there stood the three of us; in front of the house, bloody and beaten.

I walk over to Henry and he recoils from my touch. "No. Don't. I can't live like this anymore Vlad. I can't be involved in this craziness."

He walks away, and I don't blame him. He's been glamoured out of loving me, and he has no more ties to our connection.

I feel like crying but I can't. Snow needs me to be strong. I look at her and smile. "Go inside and pack your things. We have to get out of here as fast as possible."

Snow looks at me nervously. "Where are we going to go Vlad?"

I shrug. "Vegas?"

She smiles and walks up to me. She kisses my cheek and runs her hand through my hair, aware of how much I was hurting at that moment. She holds me there for a couple more seconds and I take in a whiff of her hair. We made it didn't we? We survived something that most people don't. I was attacked by six old vampires and I have lived to tell the tale. I don't know if I should be proud or worried for what's coming next.

I let Snow go and I smile at her, trying my hardest to reassure her that everything will be just fine. She walks towards the house and I stand there looking out into the street.

Why am I here?  
Why is Otis dead?  
Why is life after death such a curse?

8

Standing twenty feet away, Joss is watching Vladimir attentively. He holds his stake in one hand and growls in blood lust. Vlad turns around and walks into the house and that's when Joss makes his move. He runs towards the _boy_ and tackles him and then puts his hand over his mouth.

"You're going to help me **kill** Vladimir." Joss whispers as the other _boy_ looks up at him in fear.

Joss pulls out a glowing stick and flashes it in front of his _captor's_ face.

"You will help me **destroy **the Pravus." Joss repeats.  
"I will help you _destroy_ the Pravus." _Henry_ says,_ entranced_.

Joss smiles, his plan was going to unfold perfectly this time. No more mistakes.  
_No more mercy._

**End of Part I.**


	7. Recapitulation For Part I

**Previously on Real Life Stakes: Authority Always Wins**

Vladimir Tod is a twenty-one year old vampire living in Louisiana with his faithful drudge Henry, and his progeny Snow. But all that is thrown into disarray by two things:

One: Vladimir is being called in to The Vampire Authority about treason against a King he never pledged fealty to.

And Two: Snow wants to leave him.

How did it get this way? _Flashback three years to the aftermath of Nelly's funeral._

Otis is trying to move on with a mysterious new lady named Salome as he takes his new position of head of the Council of Elders.

Vladimir and Henry are going through some drudge in their relationship.

And suddenly a man in a blue suit has a bone to pick with Vladimir and his family.

The man, Roman Zimojic, is hell-bent on getting vampires into a new mainstreaming agenda, where they will feed on a synthetic blood and go public with their existence.

The Council of Elders deny him.

But another man says "Forward Roman!" and pushes him onto the right path.

_This_ man, Russell Edgington, will help him get rid of the Council of Elders, but on one condition. He must help him find and destroy the Pravus, Vladimir Tod (for his own unknown reasons)

Roman agrees and sends one of his faithful companions; the vampire forever trapped in a nine-year-old's body: Alexander Drew. Alex does just as he is told and brings in the boy with his progeny and drudge.

In front of Vladimir, Roman kills Em and Otis.

And right before murdering the Pravus himself, a mystery woman breaks in and saves the three, bringing them back home and leaving in the dark of the night.

After releasing Henry; Snow and Vladimir head off in the dark of the night to where else but the great land of Las Vegas?

And somewhere not so far away, Henry is entranced by his cousin Joss.

And it looks as though things are about to get personal.

**End Recap.**


	8. Interlude I: No Mercy

**Interlude I: No Mercy**  
_  
_

1

Roman stands up and walks over to the door leading into the Chamber. He wipes the blood off of the corner of his mouth after slamming the large door shut.

He looks back at his comrades, who have all returned to their seats, save for Nan Flanagan who is not actually a Chancellor and therefore does not have a seat.

Bella has escaped also, so Roman notices, as he walks back over to the table. He walks around and sits down in his throne. He intertwines his fingers, places his hands on the table, and then he stares down at them, thinking.

Rosalyn is the first to break the silence. "Chancellor, are we not going to-"

Roman holds one giant hand up and silences the woman. Then he begins to speak in his deep voice.

"**I do not very much appreciate nuisances in my presence. Nor do I appreciate them running freely in the world while we sit here after getting our asses handed to us. We must take care of this issue before Russell finds out about it. He will not support us without the Pravus in our custody, he must not find out that we lost-"**

Russell busts into the room, smiling widely. "Well, well, well! Where is the boy?"

Nora whispers, "Speak of the Devil" as the Authority stands up hurriedly.

"Russell Edgington! I was not aware that you would be joining us tonight." Roman says as Russell approaches the table, side-stepping the guards lying decapitated near the entryway.

Russell laughs. "I would not miss the execution of the Pravus for anything! Except maybe a nice Norwegian man. Nothing can beat that blood." He looks down at the bodies and then at the large quantities of blood near the table. He frowns.

"Did you kill him without me?"

Roman makes eye contact with Russell, and then comes up with an idea. He runs around the table and sets an arm on Russell's shoulder. Russell looks distraught as well as upset.

"He attacked us. Killed one of our kind as well as a handful of our guards. We couldn't wait around any longer and for that I apologize. But I do have a proposition that may offset the bad news."

Russell smiles and then laughs, "Well, the dead-er the better I always say. What's this proposition?"

Roman grabs Russell's shoulder. "I would like to make you the Vampire King of Mississippi. That is of course if you help my council and I with outing vampires to the humans on television next week."

Russell scoffs. "Next week? So soon. I'm not sure."

Roman starts walking Russell towards the door. "Think on it. I'm sure Talbot would very much enjoy being partners with the King of an entire state."

Russell shrugs. "I guess he would." Russell pulls away from Roman and walks up the steps. "I will think on it. And I will call your spokesperson."

Russell shuts the doors behind him and Roman turns around, a huge smile on his face.

"You are shameless Guardian!" Nan Flanagan says and then laughs, as does the rest of the Authority.

Roman spreads his arms. "It's time to celebrate! **The Pravus is dead! **Crack open some TruBlood!"

2

On the day the news was finally released; a person couldn't turn on the television without seeing something about vampires on every channel:

_Vampires – the supernatural creatures from mythology all over the world, have "came out of the coffin"-_

_The creatures of the night that everyone thought were just fables are really here with us in our country, in our state, in our homes-_

_Roman Zimojic, the head of the Vampire Authority-_

_I am Nan Flanagan, the spokesperson of the American Vampire League. I am here today to talk about vampires and what we are all about-_

_Vampires are an abomination against the lord and all that Christians stand for. The Fellowship of the Sun has been established to-_

_We will murder all vampires, in the name of God-_

3

I pull Snow into the room and slam the door behind us. I throw her in the bed and get on top of her, kissing her all over her chest and neck.

I tap the button on the wall near the bed and shut the light-tight curtains so that Snow won't burn to death in the morning and as I pull my hand back I knock over the bottle of TruBlood on the bedside counter.

But who the hell cares?

I kiss Snow roughly and pull her on top of me. She starts dry humping me and moaning as I kiss her all over her stomach and lift her shirt off.

Just then my phone rings.

She tries to hold me down so I don't answer it but I pull it out anyway.

"SHIT! It's Henry! Get off, get off!" I push Snow off of me and jump out of bed, bucking my pants back up as I run out of the room to get better signal.

The hallway of the hotel is empty as I step out; I don't shut the door behind me because I forgot my key. I answer the phone timidly. "Hey." I say as I start walking down the hallway.

"Hey." He replies.

4

Snow is laying in the bed naked now. Awaiting Vlad's return from his phone call with Henry. Whenever anything about Henry comes up Vlad gets all upset; Snow was pretty sure she could get his mind off of it.

The light to the bedroom turns off and Snow moans to get Vlad's attention. She can smell Vlad's emotion. Is he upset? Scared?

"Come over here baby, I can make you feel better." Tonight was the perfect night to lose her virginity, after a perfect day at the casino and dinner; and now here in this beautiful hotel room that Vlad glamoured his way into.

Vlad silently climbs on top of Snow and she begins to suck on his lips. She pulls his pants and underwear down and pushes him into her body.

Snow begins to let Vlad do all the work. Laying back and moaning in ecstasy. Something is weird though, different. But Snow can't pin just what. Vlad begins to get rough, banging at her at a quick speed. At first it hurts but then it gets better. More enjoyable. But she can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.

She puts a hand on Vlad's ass and that's when she notices.  
The man on top of her is not her boyfriend.

She pushes the man off but he puts something on her neck that burns. Silver. He keeps fucking her, holding her down and pushing in and out; showing no remorse or pity.

He keeps going, never seeming to want to stop. He sucks on her breast and runs a hand through her hair, and then he spits on her. Whoever this was had a very big bone to pick with her, or maybe it was someone else they had a bone to pick with.

He finally releases inside of her and then presses his lips to her ear. "Time for you to die fanger."

Snow's mind flashes to a quick image of her captor, Joss.  
And then, darkness.

5

I hang up the phone. Angry that all we did was fight.  
I couldn't stand this shit. I wanted him back and I wanted to prove that I wasn't a bad guy.

I was such an idiot for glamouring him. I was such a-

The door to the room was wide open. Snow's clothes are all over the place and the bed lie empty. A note is sitting on the bed. And the note is written in blood.

Snow's blood.

_Dear Vladimir,  
The time has finally come.  
If you ever want to see your precious girlfriend again, you will come to the address below.  
Trust me, you don't want to lose her-she's so very sweet. ;)_

_Joss & Henry M._

Joss and… Henry?

A tear wells up in my eye as I crush the paper in an angry fist. What did he mean she was sweet? Did he- I'd fucking kill him if he did.

My eyes glow purple as my blood boils. I didn't know who Joss thought he was, but this was different than his usual games.

This time it was personal. This time I would kill him.  
_No more mercy._

**End Interlude.**


	9. Ch 6: Failing Hope

**Part II: See The Sun**  
_Chapter 6: Failing Hope_

1

In my head, things were always supposed to be a certain way in life.  
_  
__"Die Fanger!-"__  
_  
I was supposed to wake up in the middle of the day and walk out into the dim sunlight of Bathory, meet up with Henry, and spend the rest of the day either sucking blood bags or sucking Snow.

_"Mama, is he one of the biters?-"_

But now there was no little house in Bathory for me to leave from. And the streets of Bathory were a thousand miles away.

_"You aren't welcome here vampire!-"_

There was only this miserable hotel room and the ever-present danger of being caught and asked to leave. But then again I could always just glamour the manager and make all my problems go away. But that would never take away the pain I was feeling from being alone. I'd never experienced it before. I always had Nellie, Otis, and Henry. And Snow. My sweet Snow.

Now all I had was sleep.  
Or maybe the Vegas sun?...

Yeah, death. The true death.  
That's always a possibility.

But death wouldn't make the pain go away in all honestly. In fact, I was almost sure that death would make matters worse for a lot of the people that I cared about.

I knew for a fact that whatever Henry was up to was all because of Joss' mind games. And I was also sure that whatever the two of them were doing to Snow needed to be stopped.

Joss needed to be punished.  
And I intended on administering quite the ass-whooping.

Before I go to bed I attempt to reach out to Snow for the first time in a month, and after failing I do something I haven't done since our phone call on that fateful night.

I reach out to Henry. I tell him I miss him and where I am. And I tell him I need to see him.

And that's all I can do before my brain completely shuts down.

2

Roman sets down his glass of TruBlood and winces. "God that shit is awful." He gestures to one of the guards who take the glass away and then turns to face his second-in-command, Salome.

"What do you think?" He gestures again, but this time to the large room. The new office of the Vampire Authority, in what from the outside appears to be an old factory, but on the inside is a high-tech airtight fortress. "Is it, modern enough?"

Salome smiles. "I love it Roman. It is indeed a lot better than our old office. And in fact I am proud to say the man I love is the maker." Salome presses against Roman and kisses him softly as the doors to the office open and Russell walks in.

"Ah-a-ah. Hands off the merchandise Roman. She is still my girl." Roman smiles at the familiar face and Salome runs over to hug him. Russell Edgington is wearing a bright red blazer with black slacks, and Talbot his partner is directly beside him. "Oh please Russell, let the darlings grope. It makes my heart float." Roman smiles wider and Salome fixes the front of Russell's blazer. "Well, I suppose your right Talbot. But not right this second dear Salome, Roman and I need to speak in private."

Russell's eyes flick to Roman's; who just barely winces at the look. "So if you and Talbot could excuse yourselves to the other room that would be helpful."

Salome nods and then looks up at Russell. "Should I be worried?" Russell looks back down at her and then shrugs. "With me here, who knows?"

Salome scoffs and takes Talbot by the hand, the two retire to the next room as Russell approaches Roman. Russell grabs Roman's hand and looks at the palm.

"It says here that in you were very intelligent and manipulative, is that accurate by any chance?"

Roman looks down at his hand and after seeing the lines Russell was mentioning, he rolls his eyes. "Are you going to tell me you can see my future?"

Russell grabs Roman by the throat and slams him against a column with lightning speed. "No. I'm going to tell you that I'm a million times smarter than you are. And I know the Pravus is alive. How dare you defy my very specific orders? I told you to kill the boy."

"I did kill him." Roman says, trying to get down.  
"Really?" Russell drops him. "Then explain this."

The doors to the chamber open and Joss walks in, with Henry and Snow.

3

I change the channel on the television and lay back down on the bed. I close my eyes and begin to tear up as the sun goes down, knowing that it's time to go out and find someone to drain again.

"I can't keep doing this..."

Two months have passed since Otis went and got himself killed by the new Council of Elders. I hadn't heard from any vampires since then. Not Snow, not the pompous guy in the dark blue suit, not Salome.

None. I was fang-free.  
After about a week I stopped looking for Snow. The slayer society must have some sort of weird vampire blocking tech, because all of my connections to Snow were impaired since her kidnapping.

So I just sat in this hotel room and sulked. Sometimes I went to the room next door and sucked whatever patron was staying there - that's how I sustained my blood.

But I only drank enough to live. Not enough for energy. Meaning if anyone decided to-

BOOM!

I fall over onto the floor as the building I'm in rattles.

I stand up and look down at the ground through the window and see five people zip into the building at a wild speed, then I hear doors pounding open in the hallway and I zip over to the closet.

I hear screams as the door busting gets ever closer, and that's when I hear my door bust open.

A looming presence enters the room. I see the bed get flipped from the crack in the wardrobe door, and then I hear someone sniff audibly.

"THE PRAVUS IS HERE!"

4

"I swear there is a reasonable explanation for this Russell."

Russell Edgington begins circling the table and sits in one of the empty chairs, the seat of the absent Alexander Drew.

"Well, I assume that we're all listening Roman."

Russell gestures to the rest of the chancellors and they all nod as Roman walks over to view the three teenagers at a closer vantage.

Roman whispers to them when he gets close enough. "I should kill all three of you for bringing this shit to my council."

Joss only scoffs as Russell zips over beside Roman.

"I heard that. And you shall not harm the middle one. The two to his sides are in his control, and he works for me. So I'll ask you again, then."

Russell grabs Roman by the throat and holds him against the wall.

"Where. Is. The Pravus?"

Roman unhinges himself and zips closer to his council, who stand up immediately in the defensive.

"Russell. You are no longer in power here. We will slay you if need be. You helped us get here, but you are no longer in charge of the Pravus, or us."

Russell laughs and then zips to the Council.

"How dare you, you pompous prick. I helped you get here. I helped make this AUTHORITY happen. Without me you would have all been, a fucking joke!"

Joss steps forward as Russell continues.

"But that is fine. Because I now see where all of your-," he slowly begins to turn away, "allegiances lie."

Russell approaches Joss and puts a hand on his shoulder, looking into his eyes.

"My new drudge is doing the job well enough, for he has managed to locate the Pravus while all of you twiddled your thumbs."

Henry and Snow don't flinch at the word drudge, nor could they due to the trance they were in.

"Joss my dear, bring in your accomplice."

Joss snaps and the doors open once again, revealing none other than-

5

Vladimir is put into a truck and transported for what seems like ten hours, and eventually he's brought out, blindfolded and left sitting somewhere.

After another eternity, three people enter the room. Vladimir can immediately read them. One is extremely powerful, one is extremely confident, and one of them is extremely neutral.

It's almost as if the third person is indifferent to the entire happening.

Vladimir's blindfold is finally removed, and he is immediately taken aback by the people who stand in front of him.

One is his beloved Snow.  
One is his nemesis Joss.  
And the third… the third…

"Hello Vlad. Did you miss me?"

Is Eddie Poe.

**End Chapter.**


	10. Ch 7: Vegas Night

**Part II: See The Sun**  
_Chapter 7: Vegas Night_

1

My eyes dart from Eddie to Snow to Joss to Eddie to Snow to Joss to Eddie.

"What the hell are you doing here? And why are you with him? Come help me. He's a slayer Eddie he'll kill you too!"

He scoffs.

"Shut up Vlad."

Eddie shakes his head as Joss approaches me, Joss presses his hands on my head and they slug their way to the back of my neck – and suddenly he's in my face smiling.

"I just want to be able to take you in for a second…"

I sit there as Joss closes his eyes and his nose brushes against mine. I let my eyes lower as his hands move to my cheeks, and I don't move. For some reason I'm paralyzed.

"I'm so happy you're here. Russell will be as well."

He looks over at Eddie and smiles.

"Please go with the girl back to Russell and inform him that the Pravus has been captured."

Eddie nods and drags Snow out of the room. Her eyes are glazed over and her demeanor is impersonal as she follows the other vampire out of the room.

The door shuts and it's just the chair, Joss, and I alone in the all-white room.

"Vladimir…" He whispers into my mouth and smiles as he brushes his nose against mine. "Do you know how long I have waited for this?"

I whisper back. "For what?"

He presses his lips on mine briefly and I don't move when he does it, I just sit there and let him kiss me. I close my eyes as his tongue slides past my lips and entangles with mine. My own tongue softly caresses his as he sucks on my mouth softly. His hot saliva is left in my mouth when he breaks and goes back to staring into my eyes. I realize his eyes flicker – is that shock? I assume my eyes are glowing with their usual purple iridescence.

His hands go back to my neck as he brushes his nose against mine again. My eyes are barely open, for some reason my brain hasn't yet reacted to the kiss, nor does it have time to when he presses his lips back to mine.

Well, they aren't exactly pressed to mine. They briefly touch but this time I move forward and eagerly breathe in as they make contact. His mouth again opens first but this time my tongue darts forward as his hands fall onto my lap and caress my thighs apart as he slides between my legs on his knees.

His soft stomach rubs against the base of my crotch and his kisses get a bit more sporadic and uneasy.

That's when I finally break this kiss.

"Joss… what are you doing?..."

He looks at me and I notice his usual demeanor returning, the cold, calculating Joss as he stands up and takes a step back and leans against the wall.

"I'm just going to be open and say it Vlad. The reason I haven't killed you all this time is because I've cared about you, and now that Russell is to have you cremated, I just wanted to show you that… well, I'm going to miss you."

"That's sweet but… who's going to have me what?"

I budge a little and realize my wrists are burning behind my back, they must be wrapped in silver.

"Russell Edgington, the vampire king of Mississippi, is having you crucified publicly tonight, and then burned at the cross."

I hop in my chair out of fear and my eyes get wide. "WHAT? Joss you can't let him do that! I haven't done anything wrong!"

He gets back on his knees and I open my thighs to let him slide close. We immediately begin kissing and sucking each other's lips. I realize Joss is crying and I lean back.

"Joss…"

"I asked him not to do it Vladimir. I know I've done a lot of awful things to you, but I'm not ready for you to die. I'm not ready for you to-"

"Then stop kissing me and get me the fuck out of here!"

2

Roman and Russell arrive at the warehouse where Vladimir is being held captive.

It has been an entire twenty four hours since Vladimir's kidnapping from the hotel he had been staying in, but Roman is just as nervous as he was a day ago.

He wasn't sure what Russell's plans here were; were they to harness the power of the Pravus, or terminate the threat permanently?

He was scared to find out.

But he kept his cool as they entered the warehouse and walked toward the room where Eddie Poe had promised to have the Pravus.

"I've been waiting a long time for this."

Roman and Russell approach the door and Russell opens it. The boy is tied to the chair, his head is limp and he is facing the opposite direction.

"Awake Pravus! Your time has come!"

Russell says as they approach the boy, but he doesn't move.

"I said awake!"

Russell claps his hands as Roman zips to the other side of the chair to face the boy.

"Shit."

Roman says, as Russell growls. "Don't say shit. This better not be a shit kind of situation."

Russell zips over and looks down at Eddie Poe, who has tape over his mouth and is bleeding heavily.

Russell takes a step back and smacks his lips. "Shit indeed."

3

Vladimir was able to acquire a four bed suite for himself, Joss, Henry, and Snow. Henry and Snow hadn't said a word since they escaped the warehouse but Joss was very close for the whole trip. Vladimir stepped out on the balcony for a break from all of the awkward silence, but Joss only followed him out.

"We don't have to discuss it." Vladimir says as Joss approaches him. Joss places his hand just below Vlad's ass and then presses up and grasps it roughly. He presses forward and his lips make contact with Vlad's, and the two both close their eyes as Vladimir places his hands on Joss' hips.

Joss breaks the kiss and leans his forehead against Vladimir's.

"I don't forgive you Joss… we still have unfinished business."

Joss nods as his hand stays on Vladimir's ass. Vladimir doesn't move it nor acknowledge it as Joss goes up the back of his shirt and then down his pants to grab his ass with only his underwear blocking instead of his boxers and jeans.

Vladimir moans softly against Joss as Joss rubs his crotch against Vladimir's own. Joss talks softly and with complete control as Vladimir's eyes close and mouth opens. "You will punish me for it. I am aware that it will be needed. But not right now. Russell is going to find me soon, and we will have to split ways." His lips press against Vladimir's and the two hungrily take in each other's taste. Then Joss begins speaking again. "Until then, I'm going to take in every bit of you I can. And we will never speak of this with anyone. It is only to show we have passion for each other, and we love each other. Sure we're nemeses, but that doesn't mean we hate each other. We just have natural competition with one another."

Joss pulls his hand up again and this time goes into Vladimir's underwear, grabbing his firm ass and listening as Vladimir sweetly moans into his mouth.

"If you're okay with that… relax your ass for me…" Vladimir does as requested, and Joss' fingers pull his ass open and then prod at the tight hole. Neither of them had ever done anything like this before as Joss pulls his hand out, sucks his middle finger briefly, sticks it back in Vlad's underwear and slowly inserts it into his tightness, having some trouble at first but then sliding in all the way to the knuckle.

Vladimir buries his head in Joss' neck and blushes brightly, moaning as Joss pushes in and out of the hole, getting it wet and sticky. Vladimir's fangs pop out from the horniness as he looks at Joss. Joss, also getting horny, exposes his neck to Vladimir and smiles.

"I know you want to. Like I said before this entire encounter never happened, so do it Vladimir."

That's when Vladimir buries his fangs into the neck of Joss, and begins to drink.

4

Henry and Snow are sitting in the bedroom. They both are looking forward at the wall and neither of them are reacting to anything in the room.

A fly lands on Snow and she doesn't even notice it. Her mind is a floating cloud that isn't seeing any of her surroundings.

They especially aren't aware of Joss and Vladimir in the master bed, sucking face in nothing but underwear. It would look like a bloody scene to an innocent bystander, but to a vampire it would look like a damn good time.

Joss was on top of Vladimir, two holes on his neck were oozing sweet blood but at a slow rate, Vladimir had scratch marks going down his chest and to the bottom of his abdomen, and a bruise lay at the top of the waistband of his boxer briefs.

The only reason why the two of them weren't completely naked was because the two had been battling on who's underwear were coming off first.

The scratch marks on Vladimir were already healing, he was fine with Joss playing rough; in fact, he thought he might like it like this. Joss atop him was one of the hottest things he'd ever encountered.

Other than Snow in just her bra.

Snow…

Vladimir stops and lays back in the bed, Joss straddles him and then leans down and pecks him on the lips. "What's wrong Vladimir?"

"Snow. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to cheat on her."

Joss kisses him on the mouth and smiles. "She cheated on you."

"You raped her."

"So? She wanted it. She knew it was me."

Vladimir pushes Joss off of him and Joss immediately gets back on top and pins him down. "I want you and you want me. Let's just fucking do this."

"I can't Joss."

"You can Vladimir."

Joss kisses Vladimir again and as he does so, Vlad notices a sliver of something black in Joss' hand. Vladimir keeps kissing him but gets wary, and then pushes Joss off when he notices two shadows moving in the bedroom.

"Vladimir?... Joss!?"

Vladimir looks up at his beloved, she is crying and gasping, while Henry stands behind her with his eyes wide and mouth agape.

"Wait. Snow, Henry, I can explain."

Henry scoffs and looks at Joss. Then back at Vladimir as he grabs Snow protectively. "Don't bother. This is just like you Fanger."

The two leave the room and Vladimir looks over at Joss. "You did this. This was your plan all along."

Joss smiles. "Oh, but it gets so much worse."

The French doors in the bedroom open and a man walks in.

"Pravus! Your time has come!"

Russell Edgington walks into the room and smiles. Vladimir's eyes get wide as Joss begins to stand.

"JOSS! You said you'd protect us! You promised me that you didn't want this for me."

Vladimir's eyes swell as Joss grabs his pants.

"I guess that makes me a liar."

Russell frowns after Joss says this, mockingly. "Boohoo."

5

I lay motionless on a wooden cross. My arms and legs were tied onto it and the cross overlooked busy traffic down on the Las Vegas strip.

I close my eyes but the tears continue. Bloody tears.

The cold air bites at my nearly naked body as Russell and Joss come back into view.

"Where are Henry and Snow, Joss?"

No answer. I repeat myself, louder. The excessive amount of saliva spurts out of my mouth as my bloody tears run down my chin.

"WHERE ARE THEY!?"

Joss smiles and I notice Russell licking his fingers. "Your drudge was quite tasty Master Tod. I must say I rather enjoyed ripping the boy to pieces."

Joss reveals the object he had been concealing behind his back, I lose control of my emotions.

"She didn't struggle. I guess that shows defeat, maybe heartbreak…"

The bloody stake dripped on the ground and my eyes began to glow. I pulled at the silver chains but couldn't free myself from the wooden cross.

"Don't worry Pravus, you will be joining them soon enough."

Joss steps forward with the stake and four silver nails. He pulls my hand up and uses the stake as a hammer, pushing the nails into my weak skin.

I scream in pain, but after realizing it's only a waste of energy - I sit in silence.

He nails in my remaining hand and my feet, then he backs away and smiles at his work. I look at him and all I feel is anger and hate.

Rage.

Rage at the fact that I had been taken advantage of.

He hands the stake to Russell and the man smiles. "Any final words Pravus?"

Russell approaches me and I only stare into his eyes.

"Has anyone ever told you how spooky your eyes are?... No? Well allow me to be the first, and last."

The stake is pressed up against my bare chest, and I barely feel it. All I can feel is my anger and power increasing as the silver around my wrists and the nails in my feet suddenly seemed feeble.

"I have one thing to say."

Russell scoffs and pulls away the stake. "Make it quick boy."

My eyes go completely purple as my fangs bare. **"I am going to rip out your undead heart."**

**End Chapter.**


	11. Ch 8: Iridescence

**Part II: See The Sun**  
_Chapter 8: I__ridescence_

1

It was most likely three in the morning when Eddie Poe busted into the room with some unknown woman. The two of them zipped around the room and then pulled the bed up to reveal the tied up bodies of Henry and Snow.

"They're alive." Eddie speaks softly and the woman he's with nods.

"Henry's been bit. More than once by the looks of it. And Snow's had quite the stabbing. With a stake by the looks of it, but no wounds by the heart. So she should be fine, right?"

Eddie nods to his progeny and then smiles. "You're getting smarter."

His progeny stands up and kisses him. "Thanks to you."

Eddie scoffs and then pushes his progeny's hair out of her face. "Modesty looks good on you, October."

2

Russell and Joss are watching Vladimir with shocked looks on their faces.

The boy has smoke coming off of him. Purple smoke. And his eyes are no longer just purple. They're glowing white with rage. And the purple seems to be spraying from his pupils.

"What the hell is he doing?" Joss utters.  
"Oh my word." Russell whispers.

The silver chains melt off of Vladimir's arms and legs, and the nails in his hands and feet get absorbed into his body as if they're nothing.

Vladimir drops off of the cross and Russell looks over at Joss. "Sorry slayer. I may be three-thousand years old, but that's only taught me one thing. Don't fuck with things you don't understand."

Russell flies away and Joss turns and tries to run.

Vladimir appears in front of him and grabs him by the throat, and then swings his arm so he's holding Joss over the side of the thirty story hotel.

Joss struggles to get out of Vladimir's clutches, and then Vladimir jumps off the side taking Joss with him, Joss screams. Vladimir doesn't flinch.

3

Snow wakes up to the sound of Eddie's voice. "Where is Vlad? Snow? WHERE is Vlad?!"

Snow looks around the room and then, noticing what's going on, she bolts out of it. Eddie and October follow her while Henry remains unconscious on the floor.

4

The Pravus, glowing purple, is holding Joss in midair high above the hotel and surrounded by clouds.

Joss' face is turning purple as the Pravus' grip around his throat gets ever-tighter. Tears well up in his eyes as he realize these are his final moments on Earth.

This is his end.

5

Eddie, October, and Snow bust out onto the roof just as the clouds are forming in the sky. Dark looming clouds filled with bright lights and tons of noises are shattering the horizon.

The skies are glowing purple and Snow can feel her maker.  
She can feel Vladimir's… heart.

"Something is really wrong here."

Eddie zips to the edge of the building and looks over it. The cars move on undisturbed by the sky; the world has seen so much crazy lately that this probably just seemed like a regular storm.

Just then, Russell Edgington appears behind them. "Edward."

Eddie turns and bares his fangs. "WHERE IS VLADIMIR?!"

Russell ignores the boy's foolish anger and points up towards the clouds.

In the sky, the clouds seem to circle around two dots in the sky. One is glowing purple, the other is going limp.

October grabs Eddie's hand. "He can't kill Joss, Eddie. Joss is bigger than he knows. We need him to complete the ritual. Remember what Enrico told you!"

Eddie pulls his hand from October, looks over at her, and stifles his usual sarcastic comment. He realizes the worry in her face and just nods. He looks to Russell.

"You, with me."

Eddie flies up in the sky and is immediately next to the Pravus, Russell is with him.

The Pravus does not break eye contact with Joss. The thunder booms louder as the clouds around them get darker, and circle closer.

"Vladimir. You have to let him go."

"**I will do no such thing."**

The Pravus' eyes glow brighter as his fangs are barred; Russell floats away a little and Eddie gets a little closer to the two.

"You have to understand Vladimir. This is all a part of your destiny. But killing Joss is not your duty. There are reasons he needs to be alive. The world needs him."

"**Then I'm sure the world will save him Eddie."**

Eddie flinches at the Pravus' dark words and then he gets a little closer.

"You have to let him go…"

The Pravus raises his free hand and a ball of light shines out of it and blasts Eddie square in the chest, he goes tunneling back towards the Earth.

Russell vanishes.

6

Snow is crying as she and October stand on the rooftop watching for their makers.

October is holding Snow's hand. October knows how to fly, but she figures this is her place, next to Snow. Snow was once a very close friend of hers, and now here they were on the roof in this moment of judgment. In this moment of fear.

"Why is it serious if Vladimir kills Joss, October? He's done terrible things to us."

"It just is Snow. Enrico told us it just is."

"That's not what I asked you October." Snow pulls her hand free, "What will happen? Why is Eddie so adamant on saving Joss? Just recently Eddie wouldn't have cared if he were alive or dead. I may have been entranced but I remember-"

"The Eddie you think you know isn't the real Eddie. He was trapped in trying to avenge his maker. When I made him understand that Vladimir wasn't the cause of Em's death, he turned all his power to finding who killed her. We found Enrico, who was one of the three Council of Elder members who wasn't either murdered or a traitor. He told us the prophecy. The whole prophecy. Including the things that the late Dorian Zimojic wasn't aware of."

Snow looks confused. "October. What will happen if Vladimir kills Joss?"

October looks back at Snow, bloody tears welling up in her eyes.

"If Vladimir kills Joss… he will have no chance of saving his mother. Melina Tod is alive."

7

Russell swoops down and grabs Eddie, then brings him down to the rooftop and sets him down.

"The Pravus hit him with some kind of… magic ball of light."

October zips over and cradles her maker in her arms. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"He hit him with a shining ball of light. I know my Norweigan accent is powerful but it isn't that damn hard to understand."

October begins rubbing Eddie's face and Russell looks back towards the sky.

"Women." He vanishes. Snow looks up at them, distressed. "I have to go up there October. I have to stop Vladimir from killing Joss."

October begins crying. "Do whatever you want Snow. Just be careful."

Snow closes her eyes and jumps, and she feels herself take off from the building with ease as she approaches the eye of the storm. The rain begins to fall around her and on October and Eddie below as she closes in on the glowing Pravus.

8

The Pravus' aura is glowing and shining further than before as the sky around the group gets darker. Joss has gone completely still and limp in the Pravus' grip, but all of the vampires can still hear his heart weakly beating in his chest.

Snow flies up close to the Pravus and shouts. "Vlad. You have to let go of Joss."

"**Be gone Progeny. As your maker I command you to leave."**

A strange pulling sensation arrives in Snow's stomach, telling her she has to leave the immediate vicinity and go back down to the roof. She fights it, but she can tell already that this isn't something she'll be able to beat.

"Vlad. Just wait. Listen to me. Joss is the only way you can ever see your mother again. You were lied to by Tomas, the woman who died in that fire wasn't your mother Vlad. She is alive. Melinda is-"

Snow is pulled away from the area by some strange force and is back on the roof the next time she opens her eyes. Russell watches as the Pravus turns his gaze to him.

"**You still have her under mind control. You are trying to trick me."**

Russell puts his arms up defensively. "That's not true young man. The slayer was the one who had your progeny under his control through a necromancy spell. I never had anything to do with that."

The Pravus does not get any less serious. **"So are you implicating that he's a witch?"**

Russell nods. "Of sorts. But, listen, Pravus; what if your progeny is telling the truth? What if your mother is alive and Joss is the only way you can ever find her?"

The Pravus looks away from Russell and back to Joss.

"**If there is one thing I know for sure it's this. When I found Tomas, he was not the man I was looking for. He was not my father. The same may go for my mother. I will not forgive Joss just to find someone who has not been trying to find me."**

Russell floats a little closer. "What if I tell you that you have a sister… and I know where she is."

Vladimir's eyes flash back to their regular color and the aura vanishes. "What?"

"You have a sister Vladimir Tod. She and Melinda are alive, and they are imprisoned by a dark force. If you allow Joss to live, we can leave here and go to them. I will help you."

Vladimir loosens his grip around Joss' throat as Russell continues.

"But you have to let Joss go."

Vladimir thinks for a minute. Multiple thoughts fly through his head at that instance, all of the lies he's ever heard in his life and all of the betrayal he's succumb to. He looks at the face of the boy who has caused him so much harm and his grip loosens further as his eyes begin to glow purple.

"**No. There will be no mercy for Joss McMillen."**

Vladimir snaps Joss' neck with a flick of the wrist, and then drops him down into the Vegas traffic, and into oblivion.

**End Chapter.**


	12. Ch 9: Vladimir's Not Here

**Part II: See The Sun  
**_Chapter 9: Vladimir's Not Here_

1

There are many things we do to satisfy the people around us. Very few things that we do in our life are for our own enjoyment. As Joss fell to the Earth I felt no remorse for my deed or any immediate regret. I felt joy – I felt exhilaration because for the first time in a long time, I was happy.

Seeing his body fall down to the traffic of the Vegas strip at a hundred miles per hour lit up my life. For one millisecond I was excited, exalted by the pure thrill of the fact that there was a possibility that I could finally live in peace. Not fear.

But as I saw Russell Edgington speed towards the Earth a _fearful thought_ passed my mind. For a second the _thought_ was so** real** and **alive**, but deep down I didn't know if it had any truth to it. The purple vanishes from my eyes as I fly off into oblivion.

Joss is going to live forever.

2 – FIVE MONTHS LATER

My field of vision is foggy as I step out into the moonlight in the Grand Canyon. The cave I've been spending my time in seems darker and darker these days. The silence is unbecoming; and I like that. I drop down a few rocks and they make a huge crashing noise as I land on the final one fifty feet down.

I sniff the air and then zoom to the nearest tourist attraction. A car is rocking left and right in the darkness. I smell sex in the air and move closer – hiding behind a sign and looking closer. A man and a woman are having aggressive sex in the back of the car.

I notice something then that rocks me. There's another car nearby and a sliver of blood on the ground. I listen closer to the people in the car and then I notice something shocking.

The woman is being raped.

3

Meredith Brookstone is packing to head back to college for the next semester. Her parents are sad to see her go but Meredith is quite happy as she finishes packing and her father takes the last bag out to her car.

"So you're sure your friends are going to meet you at the BP by the highway?" Her father asks for the third time and she rolls her eyes.

"Yes, dad. I promise. I don't see why you're so worried. I've done this drive tons of times." She shuts the trunk of her car and then walks to the driver's door.

"Honey. Your father has every right to be worried, I mean, this is the first time you've ever driven with friends without any parental guidance."

Meredith smiles and then opens her door. "I promise, you guys are worried about nothing."

They smile at her and then her mother comes forward and hugs her sweetly. "We're just worried. You know how we are. We believe in you baby. We know you're more than responsible enough to get there."

Her father scoffs. "It's that boyfriend of yours we worry about."

Meredith rolls her eyes again and hugs her father.

"I swear, I'll be fine daddy." He embraces her as she holds him and the two eventually separate. He smiles at her and she smiles back at him.

"See you on your birthday buttercup."

Meredith slowly gets into her car and smiles up at her parents. "I'll be home before you know it."

She closes her door and puts on her seatbelt. As she pulls away her mother gets an uneasy feeling. As if she's having some kind of premonition. A part of her wanted to stop Meredith right there and make her come back inside the house and stay forever.

But she knew she couldn't do that. Deep down in her heart she knew her daughter would be fine.

If only she knew how wrong her heart was.

4

Meredith stops at the BP and gets out of the car. Her boyfriend runs over to her and picks her up in a hug. He smiles and kisses her sweetly on the lips and then lowers her to the ground. He smiles at her and she smiles back waiting for him to say something.

He kisses her again and this time pushes his tongue in her mouth, exploring her taste and pulling her closer as she whimpers into his mouth.

The two eventually separate and he laughs lightly. "Sorry. I'm just so happy to see you."

She hugs him again as his friends Jamie and Peter walk out of the gas station with a few bags, smiling and hugging each other.

Meredith and Cody turn to face the two as Peter begins to speak. "Hey, I guess the boys will ride together and girls will ride together?"

Cody's face contorts. "What? That's no fun. Why can't you and your girlfriend ride together and me and my girlfriend ride together?"

"My girlfriend and I." Meredith says as she shakes his grip. She walks over to Jamie and elbow-locks with her. "Besides, I would love to ride with Jamie. I think that's a great idea Peter."

Jamie and Meredith walk past Cody as he punches Peter on the arm. "Nice work cock block."

The girls get in their respective cars and the boys do the same. The look on Cody's face is priceless is he angrily climbs in the back of the Boy Car.

The cars drive off in the distance and a man stands at the gas station watching them drive away. He has a lollipop in his mouth, and his denim jacket moves slightly in the wind.

5

The cars trundle down the highway, and the vegetation dwindles to null as they begin to pass deserts and rocky outcropping.

The sun is just setting on the horizon as they pull over to the final gas station on the long road through the Mojave Desert. The boys fill both take and there's an eerie silence between the four of them as they climb back in the cars. But Meredith has to use the bathroom so she jumps back out of the car and runs into the station and asks for the key to the bathroom.

She walks over to the bathroom and lets herself inside. Two stalls sit in the dark room, both very obviously old and downtrodden.

Meredith selects the one on the left and sits down and does her business. Before she can stand and leave the bathroom a noise blows into the room. A pair of boots pass Meredith's stall and stop at the next one over. The shady figure then sits on the toilet but the person doesn't drop his or her pants. Meredith gasps. _What do I do? _She wonders if she's just imagining the fear and stands up to leave her stall but then there's a loud crash and suddenly the boots are in front of her stall.

She hears one of her friends yell for her outside and the figure stomps out.

Meredith takes that as her only chance to leave. She pushes the stall door open and runs out of the bathroom. Then, without a word to anyone, she hops in the car and they drive away.

6

The sound of the road echoes in Meredith's ears as she tries to get some sleep.

Jesse McCartney drones quietly on the radio as Jamie picks up the pace a little bit on the road. Out here the smell is nothing but dirt and heat. And Meredith can't think of a more peaceful time to take a nap.

The sun is but a distant memory now as they move down the highway at a slow pace, and it's at that moment Meredith notices the truck driving close behind her car.

"Jamie. Do you see this asshole?" She says as Jamie looks in the rearview. The boys are perhaps fifty feet ahead at all times, pulling a speed a little bit higher than the girls.

"Yeah, he's just a-"

Suddenly the car lurches and Jamie swerves the steering wheel to keep it steady, but it's of no use. The car completely flips and lands in a ditch.

Meredith is launched from the window and lands with a sickening crunch down the street. The boys' car turns quickly to come back and the truck speeds forward. In just a few seconds Meredith's boyfriend's car is smashed hard and comes to a stop right outside of an empty tourist attraction.

The truck turns back around and passes Meredith, and suddenly she hears the engine die nearby.

There's silence.

And then footsteps. Meredith rolls onto her back and looks up into the face of evil. A man wearing a denim jacket and the boots from before.

"Well, aren't you just a blood-splattered angel?"

The man grins. Somewhere far away, Meredith screams.

7

I couldn't believe the smell of the blood. It made me dizzy for a few seconds and then made me hunger for her. Meredith. The love of my life.

She was being raped five feet away from me.

In a flash of speed I run to the side of the car and rip off the door, and then I pull the man from atop Meredith's body and throw him. He lands with a sickening crunch on the ground ten feet away from the car and I lay on top of Meredith and look at her body.

Her left eye is swollen and her skirt is hiked up to her hip bones. Her breeding farm resonates below my knee, covered in blood and semen.

The sheer vulgarity of the scene makes my stomach lurch at first, and then suddenly only the hunger remains. I get out of the car and speed over to the man lying on the ground with my fangs bared.

His leg is obviously shattered but I can tell by his face that he doesn't fear me.

He laughs as I run up to him and then he pulls a gun out of his pocket. "Don't you dare freak. I'll put a wooden bullet in your heart and put you down."

"I'm the Pravus. I'm immortal. Your wooden bullets will only irritate me." I lie. I know that my immortality was tainted long ago, but I keep the bluff up and he drops the gun.

"I don't want to hurt you Pravus. I come with a message. The people who sent me knew that the only way you would respond is if I hurt someone you knew or loved. This was the only way. You came when you knew she was endangered."

"I came to feed! It was random that Meredith was the one being attacked. It could have been any number of people!"

"So you think." Meredith is on the ground by the car now. As the man continues my fangs beg me to feed on her weak mutilated body. "You had the impulse to come out here whether you realize it or not. And now you're going to kill me to feed."

I laugh. "I would never feed on someone whose blood is so filled with waste and trash." The man was probably over 300 pounds, and filled with God only knows what.

"Then feed on her. We have no use for her anymore. Then we need to move on from here. We have a mission Vladimir. You have a calling."

"How do you know my name?" I ask. The man laughs again and then puts his hand to his broken leg and groans. "Give me a sip of your blood and I'll tell you."

"What?!" My eyes glow and the man winces. "You childish fool. Stop with the anger. Vampire blood has healing qualities, and you broke my leg. Now I can either leave this realm or have a few drops of your blood. One will take days while the other will take mere minutes. So decide."

I look over at Meredith and then back at the man. I rush over to her and look at her face, but all I see is a blood bag. No longer the girl I once loved.

"Vladimir?..." She asks. And turns to look at me with her good eye.  
"Vladimir's not here." I answer. And suddenly my teeth are in her neck and the world is restored.

**End Chapter.**


	13. Part II Midseason Finale: Bleeding Heart

_Part II: See The Sun_  
**Chapter 10: Bleeding Heart  
**Midseason Finale

1

I didn't have the heart to drain all of Meredith's blood, and I even ended up calling for help before leaving her body. Her friends were all dead. A sad fact that echoed since I was about to leave with their killer.

I gave the sick creep a few drops of my blood and after a couple more minutes he was able to walk. I would say I was shocked but not much else could shock me with everything I'd been through in the last few months.

As I sat in his truck all I could think of was how cold-bloodedly I'd drained Meredith. It was perhaps the single most non-human thing I'd ever done.

_Humans are real. Humans matter._

Every time I said it to myself it didn't help me get past how good she tasted.  
Damn it, this bites.

The only reason I was still sticking around with this freakshow is because of how much it seemed like he needed me to go with him. He was twitching and mumbling to himself as we drove along the Mojave, and it wasn't until we reached Interstate 15 when he finally spoke directly to me.

"Do you need anything? Blood, anything? They tell me you're part human, does that mean you need some Cheetos or something?"

I try not to laugh at the mention of Cheetos and I look away. "No. I can't eat any of that kind of stuff. I used to be able to eat bloody meat, animal meat, but I can't anymore. It's full human blood or nothing anymore. Anything else makes me sick."

"Well, do you need me to stop at a gas station or something so you can feed?"

A pause.

"I need you to tell me what it is we're going to do."

The man speeds up a little and then looks away from Vladimir, shifting uncomfortably.

"There's a town, a about four hundred miles west of here. It's going to take another four or so hours to get there but uh- but we need to go. There's someone you need to meet."

"Who?"

He mutters something under his breath and then looks at Vladimir. "A vampire. His name is Blackburn. He reigns in a town called Perdido Beach. You've probably never heard of it. It's nothing but a dumb town filled with dumb kids."

"You're right. I've never heard of it."

There's more silence between the two men. A dead possum is on the ground and the truck is past it almost instantly. "Why do I need to see this Blackburn dude?"

The man smiles. "He's going to help you get your Progeny and your Drudge back from the hands of The Authority. And Joss of course."

_Joss_. I tried not to think about him while I've been in the cave for the past few months but of course he was still alive.

Damn it.

This bites.

2

The room is black and silent. Henry rocks his head back and forth.

"Water-"

He rocks back and forth harder. The chair he's tied to barely budges. "VLAD!?"

He yells. Silence is his answer. "VLADIMIR! PLEASE!"

Tears well up in his eyes. A figure looms in the shadows outside of the door where he's being held captive. "Vladimir…"

"Please…"

3

They were parked outside of the Shell Station off on Interstate 15. Only two hours away from whatever side of Hell they were heading for. The Man had just finished filling up his car when he walked to the front of the vehicle and lit a cigarette next to Vladimir.

"You gonna ask me my name kid?" I look over at him. What's the point really? If I ask him he'll either tell me or he won't. And either way he'll just be some stranger dragging me to California.

"Nope." I say, hoping the strength in my voice is evident. He blows smoke and then looks over at me with his left eye shut. "The name's Walter. Walter O'Dim."

_I don't care._ I immediately thought to myself but then retracted the thought.  
Not that it mattered. Not in my own head anyway.

"Let's get this show on the road." He says as he throws his cigarette on the ground and gets back in the car.

A part of me worried about the cigarette being so close to the fuel pumps but then a part of me really didn't care. _But people matter do they not?_

_Not. Not. Not._

4

Snow awakens in the dark chamber to the same excruciating pain from before. She did not call out for Vladimir. Her captors told her if she did they would kill Henry. So she didn't.

Not that Vladimir would come either way.

She would kill him if she saw him again. That much she was sure.

The sound of a key in a lock and then the door opening. A figure stands in the doorway and walks over to Snow. The man is an older gentleman who looks down at Snow with something like disgust.

"It's okay. Sources say that your maker is on his way back to civilization now. They got him to come out of hiding."

Snow doesn't react to the man's words, but continues to listen.

"He's driving towards the California coast, for reasons unbeknownst to me. With some man in a- God, what are those damn things called? A God damned jean jacket. For Christ's sakes. Of all the God damn things to wear this unknown man is wearing a jean jacket. Ha."

The man walks back towards Snow and lifts her jaw so she's looking straight in his eyes.

"My name is Talbot. I'm Russell's partner. I begged the guards to let me come down and see how they were treating you. And this is unacceptable. I will have them bring you some clean clothes and perhaps a lamp. Oh and, sweetheart?"

By now he's by the door, Snow struggles to look up at him.

"Joss and Russell will be here in an hour, perhaps leave out that I came to visit you. I wouldn't want them thinking I feel bad for you and then keeping us apart… But I promise I will keep you updated on the whereabouts of lover boy, and you will be the first to know when he is back in our custody."

The door shuts and locks. And in the silence, Snow cries.

5

Vladimir's urges were becoming harder and harder to control as of late. On the side of the road Vladimir had drained a couple to near death and then got back into Walter's car as if nothing happened. It was getting to the point where he could almost no longer control it.

Walter had the radio playing some old country song as they moved along the road. A few minutes before he had stated they were thirty minutes out.

It was a little past midnight now as they pulled past a giant hotel with a sign that read:  
CLIFFTOP,  
and Vladimir squinted to see further into the grounds of the building. But it was definitely just rich people shit surrounded by rich people.

Something that he never really cared for.

They passed a sleeping town and a McDonald's that was just closing for the night. Two boys walked down the highway in swim gear, apparently going for a late night surf.

They couldn't have been a day older than 14.

And after what felt like eternity, the truck stopped in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere.

They both stepped out of the truck and approached an old shack. The lights were on inside and Vladimir could see a man sitting on a chair.

"Hungry?"

Walter asked. Vladimir shook his head, still full from the couple on the highway.

"Well, looks like I'm doing this the old fashioned way."

With a dusty kick of his boot, Walter broke the door open. The man on the chair tried to hop up but wasn't fast enough. A loud bang and suddenly his neck was covered in blood.

The smoke from Walter's gun receded as he holstered it and smiled at Vladimir. The man fell to the ground and the blood seeped into the wooden floorboards.

"Why did you do that?" Vladimir asked, half-caring.  
"He owed me something. The price was his life." He gestured to the couch. "Have a seat son, Blackburn should be here in just a few more minutes."

Walter crosses over to 'Jim's' collection of alcohol and picks up one of the glass bottles. He unscrews the cap and drinks until it's empty. Then he howls as a sudden rumbling comes from the west.

6

A bag is over Snow's head as she's lured from the room in the darkness. She can hear Henry sobbing nearby as they're led to an elevator. Three thoughts occur, and they occur almost instantly and concurrently.

_Henry's such a baby.  
Where are we going?  
Am I going to die?_

7

The sounds coming from the west turned out to be two vampires. One was a young looking man, perhaps in his thirties when he was turned into a vampire.

The other a female perhaps in her early forties.

The two both smile with their fangs bared and Walter sets down the glass. "Whoa there you two; don't scare the kid."

The woman pulls her fangs in first, and then the man follows suit. I stand up from my seat on one of the old chairs and walk over to the two of them.

Walter pats me on the back. "Blackburn, Michiba, this here is my good friend Vladimir Tod. AKA The Pravus. AKA a pain in the ass to every summabitch on this side of the coast."

Blackburn nods his head and Michiba holds her hand out. I shake it and she smiles. "It really is a pleasure to meet you Pravus." She nods to Walter.

"The mine is ready for whatever it is you're planning. The group of people who were squatting in the ghost town nearby have been taken care of and-", She looks over at Hermit Jim, "He will be disposed of as well. Thank you for bringing him to us."

I turn to Walter. "You're leaving me with these people?"

He smiles. "Let's not pretend we're friends here partner. I had a deal with these fine creatures of the night and now I must move on. If you knew what I was up to you wouldn't want to be involved, that I assure you."

Walter grabs a straw hat from off the mantle and then grabs two jugs of propane before leaving the shack. Michiba's smile never diminishes as Blackburn quickly runs around the room.

"All clear, no bugs from the Authority."

"Good. Please Pravus have a seat on the couch." We slowly make our way over to the couch. Blackburn sits next to me and Michiba sits in front of us on a sofa chair. "Well, we're meeting here today for a very specific reason Vladimir Tod. I am your mother's dearest friend."

"My mother is dead." The two both laugh and she pats my knee. "No. No. I'm afraid your mother is far from dead. Your mother and your sister are both in hiding and have been since the faithful day that your parents were thought to have incinerated in the fire."

I look at her in disbelief as she continues. "Your mother is a very powerful…", she looks over at Blackburn and then down at her hands. "Person. She is very influential, and someone took her place to burn in that bed on the day that your parents were supposed to die. For you see, your mother can see different realms than just this one and knew many days before that she had to get out of her death, but she also knew that she could not risk you finding out about her being alive."

"What is my mother Michiba?..."

Michiba looks around the room and then back at me, she puts her hands on mine. They're colder and softer than my own.

"… Your mother. She's a faerie Vladimir Tod."

8

The room that the two are brought into is hot and Henry immediately can tell when they cross from the hallway into the chamber.

He is set a few feet away from Snow on his knees and the bag is removed, and in front of them lies the table of the Authority. Roman is smiling.

"Well, look who it is. The drudge and progeny of the powerful Pravus. How sad that he couldn't join us here tonight in Part 2 of what would have been his execution."

Roman is in front of Henry and Snow in half a second, looking down at the two of them.

"My heart bleeds at the fact that the two of you must meet the true death at someone else's hands than my own. But Russell insisted that his new progeny do the deed."

Snow grunts as a new person comes into view.

The person is perhaps the same height as Vladimir. He is even the same size and demeanor other than his arms being just a little bit bigger. The boy walks closer to them and the flames in the room dance on his face.

"Hello Snow, Henry."

His fangs are bared as he bites his lip. Snow begins to cry and Henry sobs.

"No… Oh God, no Joss…"

Joss grins and his fangs glimmer in the darkness. A final laugh from Roman is the last thing Henry hears before he passes out.

**BLESS THE BLOOD**

**End Chapter.**


	14. Interlude II: A Mother's Woe

**Interlude II: A Mother's Woe**

1

Melina Tod is standing in the dark peaking around the corner at the vampires guarding the entrance to the Authority Headquarters.

She is wearing the same cloak from her first time breaking in to save Vladimir and his friends with the only difference being this time she's holding a wooden stake at her side.

She did not fear death, in fact she welcomed it.

When she knew her death was coming on the faithful day she wasn't ready to die. She hadn't been through all the pain and suffering that got her to her position today.

Now that she was here all she could hope for was a vampire outsmarting her and draining her blood.

Something she always knew in the back of her mind would one day happen but a fact that she never truly wanted to embrace.

But Melina Tod would not fail this mission to save the two remaining souls that her boy loved to spend his time with. She would not let the Authority have this victory over him.

She runs towards the building and the first vampire turns to face her. A ball of light comes from her hands and the vampire lands against the wall.

In the confusion she stakes the vampire to the immediate left of him-

_One  
_And then the other-  
_Two  
_And finally the original vampire she stunned-  
_Three_

She stands with the stake in her hand and looks down at the puddle of goop around her.

She swallows hard and then fixes her cloak and enters the building.  
She grabs one of the vampires in the area with a silver chain and lures it to the elevator.

The newborn vampire is begging for its life so Melina has the vampire open the elevator door and then spares the baby.

But then perhaps thinking better of it she grabs the baby and stakes it through the back before getting into the elevator.

She slowly rides up to the Authority top floor and comes out to a reception area.

The light in the room is a deep unsettling red and the desk is empty.

Melina sneaks across the room and looks into the sitting area of the Authority chancellors.

"**BLESS THE BLOOD**" yells Roman Zimojic holding a stake above a boy who has his fangs bared in front of Snow, Vladimir's progeny.

Next to her Henry is on his side and obviously unconscious.

Melina groans under her breath knowing that whatever comes next will not be easy.

Melina steps forward and-

Suddenly a bag drops over her head and she's flipped upside down. "Got her!"

The chancellors all turn to face Talbot with the sack around Melina Tod as he brings the woman to the table and throws her onto it.

"Finally! The bitch has been led out of hiding! The mother of the Pravus is here!"

Snow looks up from her place of rest and a bloody tear wells up in her eye as she looks forward in confusion, shock, and peril.

"Now all we must do is track down Abigail and our mission will be complete. Then we must only wait for the Pravus to get here to murder him."

Melina is screaming obscenities inside the sack as Roman walks over to Joss.

"Excuse me Joss McMillen. I have a mission for you. I need you to go and find the Pravus and inform him that we have his whole family. Let him know that we even have his sister. A little white lie can only work in our favor at this point. You have permission from the Authority to kill anyone in his company but do NOT kill him. I want Russell to have the honor of doing that."

Joss nods and Roman looks over to Russell who with a curt gesture approves of the mission.

"Go now. And show no mercy for Vladimir Tod. Bring him to us so that we may administer the true death and get out of this dark pit we've been living in."

Joss vanishes from the room and Roman turns around to face the sack on the table.

"Somebody bring me a gun. I want to put down this problem as fast as possible. And the fastest way to kill a human bitch is to shoot her in the head."

A gun is immediately in Roman's hand and he smiles.

He walks over to the sack and pulls Melina out of it by the feet and then grabs her by the hair so that they are eye-level with each other.

The Authority looks on with approval and suddenly Roman's fangs bare.

"You smell better than most humans I come into contact with. Is your blood different than the rest?..."

He sniffs all over Melina's neck and then smiles. "No matter. After I put a bullet in your head I'll taste you. I just can't put up with anymore distractions for now. So let's get this over with."

Roman flicks his eyes at Nora and Salome who come up and each grab one of Melina's arms to restrain her while Roman cocks the gun.

"Any final words Melina Tod?"

Melina looks to Roman and then to Snow and then to Henry.

Roman smiles at her as he places his finger on the trigger.

"I want to die Roman." Roman smiles as she looks to the gun.  
"Just not today!"

Melina suddenly kicks her legs up and knocks the gun from Roman's hand and then a flash of light illuminates the entire room.

When the light dies down the room is completely silent as Roman looks around.

"Where did she go!?"

He turns around and his fangs bare once more. "Find the mother of the Pravus. Find that bitch, kill her, and kill the Pravus' progeny and drudge. I've had enough of this fucking goose chase!"

Sitting behind him where Henry and Snow once were are two pairs of shackles, never unlocked, never broken, just empty.

Melina's faerie magic saved the day.  
But will it save the night?

**End Interlude II.**

* * *

**SEASON 2B STARTS THIS JUNE  
:WHAT TO EXPECT:  
VLADIMIR WILL FINALLY REUNITE WITH HIS MOTHER  
A BLOODY FIGHT THAT WILL END WITH ONLY ONE MAN STANDING  
A POWERFUL VAMPIRE WILL FINALLY BE DESTROYED  
AND SOMEONE WILL SEE THE SUN**

**ALL THIS JUNE**  
**!Rate & Review!**


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